Fore Shadows of an Eclipse
by HunterColt22
Summary: With Colt's escape from his prison and the death toll mounting as he makes his way towards the surface, just how many more will be lost before this is over? A mind filled with nothing but thoughts of revenge now walks... Death walks these halls as two Twi
1. So it Begins

**Chapter One**

**So It Begins**

Bzzzt, Bzzzt, Bzzzt. God dammed that alarm clock, I think as I reach to turn it off. I look around my living quarter's standard issue for some one aboard Pioneer 2. I look beside me there resting beside where my head laid is my trusted partner, Rati. If you haven't guessed by now I am a hunter, belonging to the Hunter class of hunters and the sub class of HUmars aboard Pioneer 2. I have been a hunter for about a year now I became one when we had almost arrived at Ragol… We were supposed to start a new home there, a new way of life. Although it hasn't happened yet, we are still orbiting the world we could call home but it is just out of our grasp…

I walk towards the window; luckily the ship has rotated so that my window is fortunate enough to see Ragol in all her fake serenity. I place my hand upon the glass, thinking Why, why cant we settle on your soil, why can't we figure out what caused that explosion, and why! Why can't we find any survivors from Pioneer 1 Why! My hand clenches in a fist rises and slams against the reinforced glass window, the window reverberates from the force of my fist upon it. My Mag awakens from its slumber due to the noise; it slowly flutters over to me to takes its place upon both my shoulders. It brushes against my right cheek trying its best to comfort me… I pet it in return, slow gentle strokes remembering why I became a hunter…

I was seventeen at the time I longed to see my older sister, she was a scientist that left on Pioneer 1 to settle a new home for the rest of our world. When we arrived that day… I was ecstatic we were finally going to be landing starting our new life, and I would be one of the first to witness it finally seeing the smile that would be on my older sister's face. Then… The moment that changed all of us forever, the sight of the explosion from the Central Dome, the sudden cease in transmissions from everyone aboard Pioneer 1, everyone… I cringe and turn away from the planet, tears slowly come to eyes. Rati moves to the right side of my head and croons mournfully for me trying to make my tears of despair and anger fade but they can't….

I turn my head back to Ragol, wondering what happened that day… I know the only way for me to find out is to continue taking jobs for the guild and exploring Ragol on my own. I have already explored much of the planet on my own, sometimes with allies, though none have been seen again once the request from the guild was completed… I walk towards the closet containing my hunter's clothes, a standard black Hunters suit, designed by who knows… I like the black but the shorts always made me wonder about the said person's design sense. After taking my grab from the closet I place it upon the bed and walk into the bathroom. Rati waits outside on the bed. I strip of my night ware through it in a laundry basket and enter the shower.

I turn on the water and let it run over me, cold at first I am awakened more and more by it. Soon the water turns warm and my thoughts begin to drift slightly as I begin to clean my body of the grime and dirt from the pervious day, Bartels blood is always a pain to wash off. My mind wanders back to the day of the Hunter's exam.

"All rise!" A man shouts to us all. A huge crowd rises to its feet. "Thank you all for coming today, as you know, this is the test to acquire your Hunter's license. Many of you have come here expecting to receive one. Sadly only a select few will have that opportunity to do so today! Out of the two hundred applicants here, only twenty will receive their license!" "What is he kidding! That's only ten percent of us!" I hear similar conversations off to my right and left as I look around at the other applicants.

Many people line the room of the guild eager to begin the test, I see many other HUmars, Along with many RAmars… All seem more exceeding in their demeanor then I am. "Hey, why the long face?" "Huh?" I look around me, soon noticing a HUcaseal beside. She is shorter then me by a good foot. "Oh, no reasons other then I feel like I don't belong here." "Oh, hehe, that's just nerves don't worry too much." She looks up at me and smiles a little at me. I return the smile and hope I don't face her in the exam.

"You will all be tested in two parts! A written exam to determine your minds ability to think logically and effectively to solve various problems, and in a VR test simulation of the plants life inhabitants from the data which Pioneer 1 has sent us. Let it be noted none of these animals have been deemed a threat or dangerous to us! This is just in case it ever happens, do I make myself clear!" Slow nods and some "yes" flow around the room. "Good, if I call your name that means your will be taking the VR exam first. To pass this you must fight your way to the goal, against the creatures of Ragol, you may or may not team with another applicant during this test. That is up to the individuals; just know you will need to Hunter ID's to activate the end teleporter to end the VR simulation for yourself! Your Hunters ID has been determined by your name and should be on your standard Hunters suit that you were given in preparation for this exam."

I glance down at mine, The ID is light blue, and its design is that of a small circle within a small crescent moon attached to an underling line that branches off in three places. The ID was called a Skyly ID. I turn back to the representative of the Hunters Guild. "I will now beginning reading off the names for the VR exam!"

"Colt, Legenda…." I step forward as my name is called, the first to be called... Ironic really I think. As I step towards the platform, I see the representative conversing with some one, a man dressed in a darkened red robe… He is a FOmar, one who has passed the test. He appears a high level hunter as well. I catch a brief part of the conversation as I step upon the platform, "…Sure he stays alive… Remember…. Must… Pass…" The FOmar begins to leave, his hair in spikes bounces slightly as he turns away. He stops and looks back towards me, his eyes a bright red, the man looks me up and down, he runs his hand through his jet black hair, then says. "Good Luck Colt. Don't disappoint us…" With that he disappears… never do I see him again…

I turn of the water, steam slowly rises from the shower as the hot water fades away, I step out of the shower grab a towel and dry myself off, then wrap myself in a white robe and step out to my bedroom once again. I grab my clothes, discard my robe on to the hook of the bathroom door and put on my black Hunter's gear. After putting on the suit I walk over to my bed side and grab my arm gauntlet that was on the night stand beside my bed. I strap on to my right hand, and rummage through its contents.

I check to see I have all my equipment with me. I look through my inventory and see my Chain Sawd, Demolition Comet and a Raygun are all nicely stored and ready for use. I look through noticing I have a few Dimates and fluids left over from my last mission as well. Satisfied with my I turn off my gauntlet and walk towards the living room of my home. I enter the room check to see if everything is the way it is then whistle. Rati soon joins my and disappears as well as it is stored within the gauntlets data banks and storage. I open the door, take one last look upon my home, sensing as if this is truly the last time I will see it… I shake my head and close the door…

I step out of my home and begin to walk towards the guild. I look around, seeing some of the few civilians with in this district. Hunters mainly reside in the area I am stationed in on Pioneer 2. Some chose to live in more lively areas, I did not care and had no preference… A young child points me out to his mother she looks at me, gives me a forced smile and continues on her way, the child though pulls against her arm and turns and waves to me, a smile upon their young face. I return the smile and wave to them as well.

I make it to the Hunter's Guild I step through the sliding doors and walk up to the counter and wait for the receptionist… She arrives soon, a fake smile upon her face of me being there. She seems to dislike Hunters for some reason. I don't ask instead I walk up to the counter and ask, "Is there any new information received about the Central Dome explosion?" She looks at me turns again to face the window and replies…


	2. A New Ally

**Chapter Two**

**A New Ally…**

"I am sorry sir but as you know I am only allowed to disclose that information to government officials or high ranking hunters." She looks over my attire and then with an air of higher importance says, "You appear to be neither." Her attitude takes a 180 right after that last remark and says in a fake sing song voice. "Welcome to the Hunter's Guild there is one new quest available would you like to take it?" I look at wondering why she is so arrogant, and then I ask her what it is. She replies,

"Your job will be to retrieve research data on Serena Legenda's research from Pioneer 1, further more-" My ears perk up suddenly, I look at the receptionist puzzled, no it cant be she didn't do research for a government project she was just a scientist sent to keep watch over Pioneer 1. I look at the receptionist, her fake smile still plastered on her face. I ask, "Could you please read the name of the researcher again?" She does and this time I am sure my hearing is fine… What did my sister really do aboard Pioneer 1…?

I brood upon this for a moment contemplating what she could have been doing for the government. I say I will take the quest. The recipient looks upon me with weary eyes, while checking over my hunter's license. She Okays me and as I am heading for the door she says one last thing to me as if too spite. "Just one more thing you will have a partner for this quest she is all ready planet side and will meet you there." Great I think … I exit the hunters guild turn right and head towards a large opening in the area. Huge bay doors are located within front of me.

Two officers from Coral's army stand guard. I step towards the door, one steps forward, "Identification sir…" I present him with my Hunters license, also turn for him to see the Hunter's ID upon the center of my chest just below the neck line of my suit. "Hunter Colt, sub class HUmar… You are clear sir, good hunting to you." I nod my head to him and then to his partner, I step in the telepipe and my quest begins… I press my hand against the initiate button. The teleportation begins and I arrive on the surface in a matter of minuets.

On the way down my mind has contemplated many things about my sister's research and also how this new partner of mine is going to be… I soon land on the surface of Ragol. I hear the sounds of a small stream enter my ears as I step off the teleportation pad and look around, my Mag, Rati, has come out of its storage slot automatically, nuzzling my face as a greeting before returning to its spot above my shoulders. I walk forward along the path of the forests of Ragol. Familiar to me, this area is the most explored by the Guild and Hunters alike. The forest was the beginning point of housing residences to be built by Pioneer 1. Many areas have been cleared for it but, no true structures had been erected yet save for a few storage areas…

My mind and legs screech to halt as a girl's scream pierces the quiet serenity of the forest. I quickly run towards the sound and soon find a HUnewearl knocked to the ground by a Hildeterror. The Mammoth beast roars and pounds its fists against its chest in triumph, the creature then begins rear back as well, I see its chest bulging out and a small dark mass begin to form in its mouth, I realize the creature is about to fire its megid attack and if I don't attack fast the HUnewearl won't be of this plane for much longer. Acting on instinct I equip my Demolition Comet and charge the beast. I scream to get its attention; it turns surprised to see another hunter in its presence. I begin an upward slash at the beast activating my weapon. The blades react and elongate sending its tips even further apart then when deactivated, small photonic blades appear on either end of the staff making it appear to be a bludgeon on either end more then a blade.

The smaller blades strike the creatures pelt and sink into the creature's stomach piercing its organs. I rip my weapon from its body leavening a bloody hole in its mid section below the ribs the wound squirts blood everywhere. It turns to me looking as if to attack, then falls to the ground dead with a loud thud. I turn my attention to the HUnewarl who is still on the ground her hands covering her face in a defensive position. I bend down to her level and offer her my hand saying, "Are you all right? She looks upon me with somewhat confused eyes. It seems the creature dazed her a bit with its last attack. She points to my face and her looks is even more curious then before, she also laughs a little at me. I give her a curious look as if to say what's wrong, then I catch a glimpse of myself from the corner of my eye from a nearby stream… I have the beast's blood on my face it must have happened when my weapon was ripped from its body. I chuckle to my self a little and clean my face off in the cold waters of the tiny outlet.

I then turn my attention to the girl in front of me again she appears to be few years younger then me even by HUnewarl standards being there bodies age slower then regular humans at least that's what I have heard. I again offer her my hand she slowly takes it… I then pull her up on her feet. She stands up but then falls forward and I catch her in my arms she seems a bit drained from her encounter… "Great" I say to no one in particular. I gently pick her up in my arms like a small child and look for an area to settle down, night has begun to fall and I don't feel like getting caught down here with out a fire going at the least. I soon find an open area within a small clearing. I slowly place the girl in a sitting position as her head begins to clear.

I look over her a little and laugh, at least the beast hadn't hit her to hard, she will be fine soon enough. A small laugh escapes my mouth. I then go to gather fire wood for the night. Leaving the clearing I trek into a small wooded area nearby, I begin to pick up dried wood off the ground, I also cut down some young saplings I soon have enough and begin to build a fire.

I begin to head back, I hear a sound, I turn around slowly expecting to see the young girl behind me or some creature… I see nothing but trees…. My face forms a frown upon it… "Huh… must have heard things…" I say to no one in particular. I slowly turn again and begin to head back. A cool wind blows against my face a little as I turn from the sound… I shiver momentarily from it and then continue on out of the forested area. I arrive at the clearing again and look around at it this time.

It seems to have been the beginnings of a residential area of Pioneer 1. I check upon the girl and see she has begun to rummage through some of the left over supply boxes left by Pioneer 1.

I place the wood down arranging it in a pyramid. Luckily during my travels I have picked up a few techs along the way and one of them happened to be Foie I use it to light the wood and get the fire going. I sit by the fire now. I think to myself quietly about weather or not this girl I have found is my new partner. The fire crackles as if to signify some sort of resonance with me on the thought. I turn to my supply bag and look to see what I have in there… Sadly I never was one for thinking far ahead of me… I have forgotten food supplies… Thankfully though I did not within my packing, or for that lack of, forget to bring with me a container with which to boil water.

I reach into my small supply bag and pull out a canister, walk towards the small stream, which cuts through the back part of the residential area which was to be built here, collect water from the stream, and put it over the fire using some of the sticks to make a make shift stand and pole. I add more wood to the fire. I curl up my knees to my face and hold them with my arms; my mind wanders. It jumps and maneuvers down the many avenues of memories I have, I again return to the FOmar dressed in dark red robes… His eyes, I don't think I will ever be able to forget them… Blazing red, so full of anticipation for me… As if he knew I would pass the exam with flying colors that day… Both the VR and written Exams… The canister whistles signaling that the water is boiling, coming out of my thoughts I walk over to take it away from the fire. The young HUnewarl stirs a little from her place feeling uncomfortable with the silence; she looks at me and asks. "Who are you?"

I look towards her suddenly, a bit shocked. She wasn't there five seconds ago I think, I realize she must have sat down while I was reminiscing over the FOmar again… I reply, "I am Colt Legenda. And you are?" She looks at me puzzled at first then says "I am Mint and th- thanks for the help back there." She looks away for a second and then asks, "Are you the other hunter who is working the data retrieval quest that the guild put out today?" I look at the stars for a second before answering her and say yes I am. I pour myself and her a cup of boiled water, free of bacteria now. She asks if I have food. I sadly tell her no I don't and how I forgot to grab some before I left for quest. She giggles and offers me some of her food that she has brought.

I thank her and say yes I would like some. She reaches into her own survival pouch and pulls out two rice balls she passes one to me. I thank her and take it. We quietly eat them. My thoughts drifting back to the FOmar time and time again. I try and forget about that, I think about after the results where given to us.

"With outstanding performance in both the VR exam and written test, it gives my great pleasure in conferring this Hunter's License upon you Colt Legenda!" I step forward as my name is called, one of the twenty hunters to receive their Hunter's License this day. I look around me, to my right I see the young HUcaseal was also one of the twenty to get her Hunter's License, I smile at her, she looks at me, waves and smiles back. A HUcast comes forward and presents me with my Hunter's License. He is green in color and walks with a grace of him I could only hope to imitate when I reach his level as a Hunter. He presses my ID, it shines and turns a brighter color then before, he then confers on me an arm gauntlet given to Hunter's once they have passed the exams. He looks to me before moving and speaks to me in a low whisper, his voice a low electric buzz, "Sojorian was right… I expect great things from you young one… Don't disappoint me in the future, haha…"

"..Ey!" "Owww…" I rub my hand against the side of my head; I look to the ground to see what hit me. I pick up the object and examine it in the fire light… It is apparently a rice ball. "Hey what was that for?" I ask her, a small smile curling on my face as I say this. She giggles at this and a smile appears on her face. After the meal I tell her to get some rest and I will take watch for the night. She protest saying she should but I don't allow it. She soon falls asleep, watched over by me and Rati. I sit down by the fire now almost out and add a few more pieces of wood to it. I then curl into a ball up beside a rock that faces the fire and look upon the stars. My mind wanders and crosses paths inside me again. I feel a sudden convulsion run through me… Almost as if something is awakening within me… I shake my head… My thoughts bounce back and forth between what it was my sister did for Pioneer 1 and what the HUcast and FOmar meant that day…


	3. What the Hell was That

**Chapter Three**

**What the Hell Was That!**

I stir to the sound of running water. I must have fallen asleep… I look around and see nothing has come during the night and Mint remains unharmed a few feet off from me still asleep. I stretch myself out relieving some of the tension brought on by falling asleep against the rock. I look around, feeling restless, my mind still on the FOmar, HUcast and my sister. I head out for a walk in the morning light to see if it will relieve my mind of its thoughts.

I begin to walk and bask in the glowing sun rise of Ragol. Although the planet harbors many dangers, the forest is a true wonder to hold in the morning light and dew. The crisp, cool air wakes my slumbering sense and brings them to life. I soon come to a small perch made from boulders. I sit upon the rise and watch the sun as it comes up… "It truly is a beautiful planet…" I say to myself, a cool morning wind blows suddenly from the west, making me shiver. I stand and begin the trek back.

On my way back I come across a sleeping Tollaw, I freeze dead in my tracks hoping not to wake the beast, although I could kill it easily. I wish not to do so at the moment. I maneuver around it carefully hoping not to awaken it, suddenly a local birds lets out a shrill call to signal the morning is truly here. "… Damn that bird…" I say to myself as I ready for the battle that will begin searching, although they are bugs, Tollaw seem to have a rather great sense of hearing…

The Tollaw awakens suddenly and lets out its cry. I draw my weapons for I know more of them can't be far behind. And sure enough more come…. Three more appear as if from the ground. I draw my Chain Sawd ready to deal with them all at once. I charge at them full bore intent on finishing this quickly. I move in swinging my Chain Sawd from right to left cleaving the first Tollaw in half its green blood sprays all around some flying in a spray upon my face. I close my eyes to shield them from the spray, I suddenly feel a slick wetness on my eye lids.

I re-open them to see two charging towards me, they swing their arms back and down, trying to cleave my shoulders off. I block both of their scythe like appendages mid swing with my Chain Sawd. They then both retract their arms towards their bodies pining my blade against their scythes and for arms, unable to pull it out from their grasp, suddenly I notice their scythes wedged in between four of the outer rim's blades stopping its spinning motion and causing it to effectively jam.

I hear another cry and turn to see the last Tollaw has snuck up behind me and is about to strike I turn to my side as best I can to have the impact go against my shoulder blade. As I turn the giant bug misses and slashes the right side of my rib cage. Pain surges through my right side as he leaves a gash in my body luckily it doesn't go deep enough to touch any organs or bones. He falls forward on to the other two Tollaw their grip loosens on my blade as they stumble away from their flailing comrade.

I see an opening and go for it. I realize if I fail I won't live to see the end of this fight. I pull my blade down out of their pinched arms the outer rim begins to hum again as it rotates up to speed. I push forward and up with my blade aiming for the joints where their arms connect with the body. They may be strong big and ugly but like any bug there joints are thin connections between one another.

I slam the blade into the four spots I hear my smaller outer rim blades tear into the joints slowly and painfully. The two howl in pain as my blade slowly works its way up through the arms, green blood gushes forth from the decapitated arms. They back away in pain screeching. I quickly advance on them and slash upward diagonally at them. Starting at ones mid section and ending in the middle of the others head… There bodies separate, the partials erupt in a gush of blood It showers forth from the air and drenches me.

I take my hand and clear my eyes of the blood to stare at the last one. The last Tollaw looks around it and sees its dead brethren and then stares at me in a rage I would guess hell I could never tell red eyes they have. It charges me; I pull out my Red Handgun and open fire on it as the beast advances. I pull the trigger three times; three photon bullets erupt from the muzzle of the gun one after the other. Their green color pierces the morning air with a distinctive whistle. They all connect with the Tollaw, one in the left knee, one in the right and the last in its head. The Tollaw stops and crumples to the ground. I re-holster my weapon and begin the long trek back to camp.

I make it back to camp with out further encounters from the wild life and I soon walk into camp as I enter the area I am hit upon the head by a hard object. The last thing I hear is a scream from a female voice. I soon wake up my head groggy and full of pain I sit up and shake my head to get my sight straitened out. I look around and see Mint by a small fire tending it. "Ow what the hell happened to me?" I ask her, she looks over at me and says… "Well I saw you come into the camp covered in all that blood and I thought it was some one else… And well you know the rest." I contemplate this and then realize I am still covered in the Tollaw blood. I slowly start to rise, Mint pushes my back down. "Oh- no you rest. You need it after what you got hit with…" She slowly takes a cloth out from the stream and cleans my face off of the Tollaw blood. She finishes and walks away, my head still feeling groggy, I fall back asleep.

I soon arise, it is night fall when I wake up My Mag stirs as well. I look around and don't see Mint anywhere. I get up and walk toward the sound of running water and begin to clean my armor and skin of the caked on Tollaw blood from this morning's earlier battle. I hear a sound my head cocks to the right to see if it appears again it doesn't… I finish washing my armor and skin of the sickening green blood that covered me before. I walk towards the south entrance to the camp and stare at the night sky my thoughts wandering as per normal at night. I hear that sound again like a foot step. I turn to see who it is but can't make out a figure due to the moonless night. I draw my Demolition Comet just incase, my Mag also tense at the noise and begins to vibrate angrily back and forth. I turn to stare back at the night sky looking for answers that can not be found…

Suddenly I hear breathing right behind I turn and slam the middle of my Demolition Comet into the attacker's chest. My Mag screeches at the movement our attacker caused. The figure jumps back grabs their mid section and charges us head on. I use my ears to try and pinpoint the attacker's position but suddenly hear another set of footsteps. They catch me off guard and the figure slams the back end of a claw weapon to my rib cage. I slide back a few feet from the force of the blow, clutching my sore rib cage I calm myself and steady my weapon, waiting, it is their move again. Suddenly I see a flash of light a Gi-Zonde spell aimed at me I quickly roll to the left of it evading it just barley I can see a flash of light as it strikes a nearby rock leaving scorch marks and a sulfuric smell in the air.

I turn and run this time I am unable to fight back I have hardly any experience fighting an opponent in the dark which I regret considerably now. I continue running away from our attacker hoping praying I can out run them or at least find an open area where I can create a light source to even out the playing field. I cast Zonde spells every once and awhile on the random path I have chosen to light my way as not to fall off a cliff.

I come upon a sudden drop in the path before me. I look down but can not see bottom or hear running water to cushion the fall if I jump down and I sure as hell can't slide down the cliff side, seeing from the angle it drops off at where I stand. I back away slowly hoping to re-trace a better path when I hear a laugh the voice is female. I keep my mouth shout and breathing quiet hoping not to give away my position. Suddenly my Mag screeches in a fit of rage being unable to see the danger that threatens me. "Ha got you…" I hear the voice then the sound of foot steps but can't tell where they are coming from.

I suddenly feel the Impact of a claw weapon against my right shoulder blade it rakes down to my lower left mid section. I lash out but strike nothing but air. I let out a round of Razonde blanketing the area around me in deadly lighting and illuminating the area for a brief second, but that's all I need. I spot the assailant at eleven o'clock, I take out my Red Handgun and fire three photon bullets in the area I hear two of the three thuds against the ground, but the third strikes home. I hear a yell of pain and anger at me as the bullet hits the attacker. The attacker runs toward me again but I have no way of telling where they are coming from or when. The claw weapon again rakes across my body this time my stomach. I quickly grab my stomach. Lucky for me the armor I chose to wear is thick but even that didn't stop the photon claw from leaving wounds on me deep enough to cause me serious pain. I back away from my attacker but stop as my left foot soon finds no ground to stand on.

"Heh well you have no where to run to now I am going to enjoy carving you up! Unless you come with me quietly, he is expecting you…" She walks slowly towards me I look upon my Mag who is still infuriated by the attacker and how it is unable to help me defend myself. I then turn and face the cliff do I face certain death against this attacker or try my luck with the cliff and hope luck is on my side tonight. There is no option I turn and jump of the cliff edge grabbing my Mag and curling into a ball around it to protect us both as much as possible.

I roll down the cliff side for what seems to be an eternity. Dust soon clouds my nostrils and I can't breathe well through them, my sides and arms ache from being bashed into rock after rock. I finally come to a stop at the bottom of the hill I uncurl and my Mag floats to the sides of my head gently rubbing against me to see if I respond. I turn my head and look back up the cliff face and see the figure standing over wondering if I lived or died in the escape. Suddenly a noise catches my attention to my right. I snap my head and see a FOmar standing in a clearing. He looks upon me and then the figure on the cliff. He looks back upon me and smiles an enigmatic smile. I try to rise up and get away but am hit with a Gi-Zonde spell of intense power. I scream as I feel the electricity passing through my body completing a circuit inside me. Then everything goes black for me the last thing I hear is a small chuckle from this new face that has appeared then I lose all conscious…


	4. Who are You

**Chapter Four**

**Who the Hell are you?**

I awaken to the sound of a crackling fire. My eyes slowly flutter open I stare at my surroundings and try to move my arms… I can't! I try and move my legs next but they wont budge I scream in disbelief. "Relax your only paralyzed no need to lose your head over it…" I turn my head toward the voice at least that still works I think. It is the FOmar I saw before I lost conscious! He is dressed in a light blue robe with a head band on his head holding back gray colored hair in spikes. "What the hell was that Gi-Zonde blast for!" I scream in rage at him for giving me my current predicament. He chuckles to himself and says in a rather pleased voice with himself.

"If you must know if I hadn't done that you, my motionless friend would be dead by now. You were not the intended target of that blast so you didn't get its full shock it was the target on the cliff it was intended for, it just needed a bridge to get there and well you served nicely." I don't know what to say after that I can't think of anything… I turn to him and say thank you. He just smiles and shakes his head and goes back to tending the fire he has created. I turn my head to stare at the night sky wondering who she was and what she meant… "He is expecting you…"

I turn towards the FOmar two questions enter my mind. "Hey thanks by the way what's your name?" He looks at me and smiles saying "My name? Well its Mewone heh and yours?" "Colt. Colt Legenda." He stares at me in disbelief for a second but doesn't say anything. "I have one more thing to ask… Did you happen to see what weapon my assailant used on me…?" He looks at me surprised by my question but says in a flat tone. "Yes I did I believe it was a Heart of Poumn… Now get some rest you broke your right arm and cracked some ribs even with my powerful Resta spell to heal your bones, your body still needs sleep and your Mag probably agrees with me." I look puzzled and turn my head to see Rati floating there above my shoulder concern showing in his demeanor to me. I smile at him and go to close my eyes the finally thought I go across in my mind is why Mint tried to kill me after I saved her… I fall asleep after that.

I soon awake and try to move my limbs again. This time I get a response. Although rather slow but it should wear off soon, I stand up and wobble for a bit on the balls of my feet. I soon become steady and try to walk although it is a labor, I have little feeling in my legs at all thankfully I hope it will wear off shortly. My Mag awakens to my movement and flutters over to my shoulders. "Heh, good morning Rati did you sleep well?" I ask my Rati as I pet his head.

I look over to my right and see the FOmar Mewone still sound asleep. The fire from last night barley visible, red glowing embers is all that remains now in the cool morning air. I look around myself to get my bearings. I soon realize I am lost and that the FOmar must have dragged me quiet a ways that night I was zapped unconscious by his Gi-Zonde spell… I make a mental note to thank him later for that. I venture a little ways out of the campsite soon finding myself staring at a river. I bend down and wash my face in it, hoping to drive away the feeling of sleep still lingering in me. After washing up I return to the camp site to see Mewone has awoken and gotten the fire going again and is preparing food for us. "Well I see your up and moving now that's a good sign." I look at him suddenly a thought occurs in my head why is he here on Ragol anyways? "Mewone I have a question for you why are you down her on Ragol all by yourself anyways?" "Ah that's rather easy really I took a quest for the government, something about finding research data that a Serene Legenda or something had been working on. They also said another hunter would be waiting for me planet side to join up with me and help in this matter of retrieving it. Heh I guess that's you since you share her last name."

I look to Mewone unsure of his true motives in this but I shake my head now is not the time to make enemies I remind myself. The food is done soon enough and to my surprise he hands me some eggs toast and a rather odd piece of meat. When questioned about its origins he looks at me and laughs saying "What you never have Gulgus meat before?" I reply no and he just laughs again and eats it. I eat it with out further question and to my surprise it is very tender and delicious.

Our meal having ended with out any harmful happenings I turn to him and explain an idea that had been formulating in my head since he had told me he was assigned this quest as well. I tell him that I wish to head back to Pioneer 2 with him to see if we can sneak into the Hunter's Guild to see if I can find any information on my sister and the true nature of her research done here with Pioneer 1. He looks at me and says yes, with a glint of pleasure in his eyes as if he likes the thought of destruction. "You do know the risks involved in this we could both lose our Hunter's Licenses and never be able to set foot here again or worse yet," He adds with a smile on his face, "We could charged with treason against the government and be shot upon by a firing squad." I nod my head my eyes never wavering he looks upon me again and laughs saying. "Well hell I was hoping I could cause a little mayhem before I left for the mines heh this ought to be fun!"

We wait until night fall and place a telepipe and take it back up to Pioneer 2. We soon arrive in the armory area of the market I can see the guild off in the distance a little ways. We walk forward my Mag hovering over my shoulders tensing up again as we by pass a group of people. We make it to the doors of the Hunters Guild as expected they are electronically locked and require retina and finger print scans, to activate them, I turn towards Mewone who just smiles and stands between me and the scanner. I soon hear a fizzling of circuits and the smell of sulfur soon enters my nostrils. I cough and the doors slide open after a bit of effort. I step inside everything is running automated.

I turn to go behind the counter and access the computer terminal while Mewone simply watches and seems to grin when ever it seems people may come in to take a look but they never do come close enough to see that the doors were forced open. Frustration grows in my brow they have almost nothing in their database on her or the research…

I turn away from the screen angered and soon notice a door hidden behind the counter of the guild. I go to open it and see it is locked... Frowning I look around and soon take out my Demolition Comet. I shove the staff into the door hinges hoping to pop it off. I quickly activate the double saber and it expands and causes the hinges to screech and swell but still they don't come off. Quickly looking to see that no one is outside the door Mewone is by I yank upon my weapon forcing it foreword, causing the hinges to pop off and send the door crashing to the ground with a loud metallic bang. Sweat develops on my brow from the sudden sound I turn again to see if any one has noticed the sound…

Thankfully no one has. I step through the door frame to a darkened hall way the only light coming from my Mags wings that keep it airborne. Something glints in the corner of the room and I turn to it and see it is a hold chamber for android models. I look upon it and see the date is prior to the explosion at the Central Dome… I see it also bears a stamp of production on it not used by Pioneer 2… Suddenly it clicks the dust on the chamber the unknown stamp, this is a Pioneer 1 android! But it can't be the official report states that there were no survivors ever found upon Ragol even to this day… I clear the dust off the glass plate near where the head of the android should be and soon see it is a Racast. I look upon it trying to inspect its features in the low light.

I put my hand on the side of the capsule to see if I can turn it into the light but my hand falls upon the switch to open it. A gust of pressurized air rushes forth from the sudden breaching of the capsule. I shield my face and eyes, when the wind stops I return my gaze to the Racast now in full view. It seems to be of a new model line but something feels different about it. It's more compact then its new counter parts and the head is rather big with a top part jutting out at least 2 feet. Its paint scheme is also different from that of a normal Racast's instead of a set of normal and bland colors this one is a combination of orange black and green. I ponder at this color scheme although I admire it; it just seems to serve no purpose for the RAcast.

I step closer to the RAcast, suddenly its head snaps up and its visor gleams in the black hallway. "State your name…" It says in a mono tone no soul in it. I stare at the piece of machinery and software wondering why it activated all of a sudden. "State your name or face termination…" It draws a Crush bullet on me, I know the power stored in that weapon against multiple enemies in an enclosed area I have witnessed it before hand. Although I might be able to doge the initial volleyed fired at me the second would rip holes through me and the photon bullets in design would ricochet off the smooth metal surface that lines this room.

"I am Colt Legenda." I state to the machine hoping that will suffice… "…Voice match confirmed for Colt Legenda younger brother to Serene Legenda of android diagnostics and research for Pioneer1…" Androids? I think too myself… What was she doing on Pioneer 1 damn the Hunter's Guild! I slam my fist against the wall behind me as this last thought comes to mind… "… Checking primary functions….. Once activated find Colt Legenda …" I stare at the Racast in disbelief, Why would he need to find me…

"…. Waiting for first initial command to begin updating files and return to normal function…." The Racast's flat voice snaps my concentration on the matter and I say to continue. It then lies dormant for a few minutes its metal head staring straight at me but with no movement or sounds emerging from it. I begin to think wondering why this android was created just for me and why the government had it sealed away in a room behind the Hunter's Guild… The Racast head snaps back up and its visor lights up again. "…. Initial command complete awaiting first order…" I look at it wondering if it was given a name before it was sealed away. "RAcast what is your name?" its quiet for a moment then it stirs and states "…. Model number 34567821 Code named Samus…" Heh I laugh to myself quietly my sister at least had a way of picking unique names to say the least. "All right then Samus lets move out and head down to Ragol I don't think the government will find this as much a fruitful experience as I have had."

I walk out the opening of the door frame and see Mewone leaning up against a side wall in thought; he sees me and moves over towards us. He stops suddenly seeing the android following behind. "Heh you come for info and bring home a Racast huh…" I don't truly notice the comment I am lost in thought again over my sister and what she did. "So who the hell is he anyways?" The question snaps me back to reality… "Heh he is model number 34567821 Code Named Samus…"


	5. Sato VS Rati

**Chapter Five  
Sato VS. Rati**

We turn to leave the now damaged Hunters Guild's hoping no one was around to witness our handy work. I hear a scream suddenly pierce the air. I turn and look and see a FOmar with spectacles and a brown and blue robe run by us with a Red Sato not far behind. I turn into the direction they are coming form and I see a young FOnweral with a big red bow in her hair and an orange battle garment, giggling at this new development. I turn and see genuine fear in the FOmar's eyes. I see the Sato begin to unhinge its jaws ready to bite the FOmar. Quickly I instruct Rati to intercept the Mag before it has a chance to end the man's life. Rati quickly flies into the path of the Sato slamming hard into its right side sending the Mag spinning into a concert wall hard. Instead of it stopping at the wall the Mag slams right through it punching a one foot diameter hole into the sold concert wall of the nearby building. The FOmar turns around seeing where the sudden sound of a sonic boom came from and stops to stare at the concert hole in the wall.

I quickly run up to my Mag my eyes though still looking at the huge hole in the concert wall. I turn to my two companions Samus and Mewone. Mewone stares at the hole in amazement. "Wow… Big hole..."

I turn to Samus his cold lifeless visor staring at the scene. "Samus what was that thing it looked like a Mag but it couldn't be…" "……Analyzing data….. One match found in database." I wait for him to answer and he begins in that cold metallic voice giving the file an even more dreadful effect on my face, now concern wells in me about whether the thing is still alive. "Mag Breed: Sato Sub Breed: Red Sato, Carnivorous Mag species, most dangerous of all Sato breeds and rarest, only skilled hunters can command a Red Sato and not have it turn on them. Red Sato are particularly know for hunting down high level Force type hunters several disappearances of Force hunters have been blamed on the Red Sato but none have been confirmed. Red Sato are also nearly impossible to take offline due to it's harden exterior and aggressive nature towards anything." "Samus can you check to see if any hunter has ever owned or trained a Red Sato on board Pioneer 2."…. The RAcast goes dormant for a minuet. By now the once laughing FOnweral girl has come to the scene as well screams and heads into the rubble.

"Scan complete one hunter registered. Name: Cranberry, Force class High level S hunter, FOnweral. Orange battle attire, Black Hair Brown Eyes…." The rest is shut out of my mind I stare at the FOnweral now genuinely scared for once in my life. Cranberry the small FOnweral girl rummaging through the rubble for her Sato before us is a S ranked Hunter I am barley an AA Rank Hunter… Samus I have no clue on and Mewone would appear to be AA as well. "Sato… SATO! WHERE ARE YOU!" Suddenly a tremor shakes the ground I stand on and see the Red Sato burst froth from the rubble as if a the explosion on Ragol happened all over again… It files down to Cranberry Nuzzling her face affectionately. She turns to me a look of loathing on her face as she stares at me.

"Why- Why did you hurt Sato?" She screams at me… I look at the exhausted FOmar still in the same spot he had stopped in, tired and breathing labored almost to the point of it sending him into unconsciousness from the lack of air he can inhale. I stare at her and walk over to the FOmar and ask Samus to carry him. He tries to protest but this is the final thing his body can take and he lapses into unconsciousness. Samus quickly with speed that I have never seen in a RAcast before catches him before the FOmar's body barley moves an inch.

"Well why did you Hurt Sato!" She asks again impatiens showing in her face and voice. I turn to her and say. "Is it no obvious why I helped him your Sato was about ready to take his head off!" I turn to Samus and tell him to take the FOmar to the medical area and to wait for Mewone and me there. Cranberry contemplating my question simply looks at me and laughs. "Oh haha Sato wasn't going to kill him it was just going to maul him. You see Sato has this dislike of that FOmar there he is Sage be the way a friend of mine.

You see Sato was mistaken by Sage once to be a red box while it was asleep and well it hasn't liked him that much ever sense." The Red Sato similes bearing its metal fangs razor sharp in appearance even from this far away. I turn to her and look directly at her. "Still shouldn't you call off your Mag if he is your friend…"She laughs again. "Sadly I can't really Sato kind goes into frenzy when he sees Sage and there is almost no stopping him." Her Sato then files forward fast almost too fast! I dodge to the right while my Mag splits itself into is battle form. It heads straight for the unconscious Sage. I bring up my Demolition Comet and strike at the Mag hoping to make it back down or at least get knocked off guard. The Mag simply swings in a wide arc and now goes for me instead. 

Suddenly a burst of laughter is heard form Mewone, "All right! Let's get it on!" I return my attention to the battle the Sato has started its charge again angry that I have disturbed its mauling; Rati stands its ground in front of me. "Rati! Split now!" It takes on its battle form and splits to the left and right hoping to confuse the Mag but instead the Red Sato charges straight ahead towards me! I quickly draw my Demolition Comet again ready to strike it down I swing down hoping to slam it to the asphalt floor beneath my feet, the Mag dodges with grace and agility I have never seen before almost as if to mock me saying I can't win.

It lunges for my neck I bring up my Demolition Comet in a defensive position hoping to catch the beast in its jaws and knock it off balance but to no avail, The Mag bites down and cleaves through my twin sabers handle of Alloy metals and Photons as if it were wet tissue paper. It then swallows the piece it has bitten off and begins to chuckle or what I believe to be one. Suddenly it lunges for my neck again I can't react fast enough and know this, I stand there waiting the inevitable, suddenly I hear an electronic screech of pain form the Sato, and I look and see my Rati has successfully slammed into both sides of the Sato effectively pinning it in mid air between his two parts. Rati grinds against the Red Sato's outer shell an ear numbing sound is heard from grinding metal of the Mag and its screeching of pain. Finally my Rati cease and lets it drop to the ground. I jump back two feet making sure I have enough time to dodge in case it tries another direct attack at me again. I look down upon the Sato and notice two very large and distinct dents in its sides. I look to my Rati and see it did not escape unscathed part of its back left wing has been bitten off.

My attention turns to her now, my eyes an uncommon light blue at best turn to her and I stare at her. My eyes staring in wonderment at her, how can she not control this thing? Why isn't it listening to her and why is it looking at me like I should be lunch…

Suddenly a fist comes crashing into the back of my skull. I slam forward onto the ground my hands barley catching me before my head has the pleasure of becoming one with the pavement. Cranberry screams in shock, Her Sato has stopped its attacks on me for a moment to stare at the new figure that has entered the fray. I turn over on my back and see a green metallic boot come crashing down inches to the side of my head. I quickly roll to the left five feet and get to my knees in a low defensive position and study the figure that tried to crush my skull.

The foot has left an impression in the asphalt at least six inches down. I look up and notice it is a Green HUcast, he has the structure of any other I have seen aboard Pioneer 2. I then notice the symbol on his right breast plate! It's the same as what Samus has on the middle of his. "Heh fast for a human aren't we little one." He mocks and then laughs at me. 'Sato Attack the HUcast!" I hear Cranberry scream. Her Sato listens this time and latches on to the HUcast's Right leg. It shakes and gnaws on the leg trying to dislodge a piece of it but to no avail, the android simply laughs at this attempt. 

"Foolish beings did you really think that a mere Mag could beat me?" He then forms a fist with his left hand and slams it into the top of Sato's head creating a dent in its exterior and sending it down to the asphalt. The Mag goes in to stand by mode after that and does not move, its systems repairing its damaged circuits. Cranberry screams and tears form in her eyes as her Mag is sent into the ground. She then turns to the HUcast, and casts a Round of Gi-Zonde at him. The HUcast chuckles and dodges to the right of him. Moving so fast I can't keep up with him.

He then appears right behind Cranberry and grabs her throat. Lifting her up into the air her legs flailing like that of a child hanging from a cliff and losing there grip, he says to me almost as if to mock me. "Hunter, you have one chance to let her live, give up and come with me to meet my master, if you don't she will die… The choice is yours…" His grip tightens on her neck I hear her breathing suddenly turn sharp as her air flow is restricted so badly. "Tick Tock HUmar or should I say Colt Legenda? The clock is ticking her life is slipping away like the sands in an hour glass… Choose now or have her death on your soul!" I look down to my feet, what choice do I have, let him kill her and know it was my fault or let him take me without a fight never finding the answers I seek. "GAHH! WORTHLESS MAGGOT! DAMN YOU'RE MAG HUNTER!" He screams I look up and see my Mag has slammed into both of his sides not enough to damage him significantly but he has lost his Grip on Cranberry and she slumps to the floor like a lifeless rag doll. I rush over to her with speed I never knew I had. I scoop her up and run back and place her by her Sato who has activated again.

I turn back to the Hucast who is standing there now looking at me and Rati with angst in his cold metallic eyes… "Hmm very well you have made your choice Hunter now suffer the consequences!" He charges at me I ready my fists seeing as how my Demolition Comet is useless now since it is in two, the link between the photons broken I charge as well trying to keep him away from the damaged Sato and the unconscious Cranberry. He throws his left fist first towards my head I barley dodge the blow. I sweep my left leg trying to knock him off balance. He jumps up and brings his right foot crashing into my jaw as he does this. I fly back two feet landing on my back. He brings his left hand down on to my neck and squeezes… "Foolish little HUmar you don't even know what you truly are do you…?" I look at him confused by his statement. I take my arms and slam them against his wrist hoping to loosen the grip on my neck by causing the electronic signals in his wrist to gap for a second. They do and his grip loosens before he can react I take my right foot and slam it home into the middle of his chest plate. He skids back a few inches but nothing more. He simply laughs and wipes the dust off his armor.

"Rather powerful for a human aren't we? I have never had that happen to me before Heh looks like I will need to use this then…" The HUcast draws a Katana from his back; it appears to be a Yasha! He notices the disbelief in my face that he could have such a weapon. "Surprised small one, well don't be it took me many years and slayings of beasts to find this weapon. You like many others that have faced me but you are the first to make me draw my weapon, now fall to this blade." He moves into a battle stance his Yasha pointing towards me as he raises it level with his shoulder blades. "Now come and let your blood be spilled by my blade!" I dodge to the right evading his initial charge, "Heh too slow!" He pivots on his left foot and slashes me across the chest opening my armor as if it were flesh…

I roll to the ground and grasp my wound now that spreads from the upper right of my chest to the far left of it. Luckily he never reached the stomach otherwise my organs would have been spewed across the ground by now. I look down and notice the blood on my hands, I am bleeding out, I quickly concentrate and a green glow enters my hands, Resta begins its work slowly… I hear the HUcast laugh again at my attempts to heal myself. "Damnit come on!" I whisper to myself cursing that I never decide to become a Force instead now, my Resta spell being so low in power heals at a much slower rate then that of a forces. I have barley closed up the wound before the HUcast slams the handle of his blade into my chest cracking three ribs and sending me back ten feet on to the ground. I open my eyes and begin to stare at the stars.

He laughs again "Come now Colt, I would have expected better from Serena's Greatest Creation. Unless you are mere a flawed version, a prototype that lived for some reason I wonder if she felt pity for you and that's why you lived. Yes I seem to remember her saying something about it and then laughing at you." I stand to my feet ignoring his remarks although the mark they leave is visible in my face I cringe when he mentions me as a thing not a person. What am I really? Is what he saying true? Who am I? I look at the HUcast again, he laughs walks slowly over to me and why shouldn't he I am beaten I can barley stand and breathe at the same time. Blood drips from the corner of my mouth, my breathing is labored and a sharp pain in my chest tells me he probably cracked a few ribs and one might be protruding in my lung… I have no other option I look at my Mag Rati.

He croons sorrowfully and rubs against my check. "I know… I know. I am sorry that I could not do more to save us" It turns towards the Green HUcast, it stares at him anger welling in Rati… Patiently I wait for the final blow to be struck upon me sadly I have failed, Rati turns to me again and croons sadly, He takes a normal battle position as if to launch a photon blast. "What giving up are you well you had your chance and now sadly it has passed!"

The HUcast charges slams his right shoulder up against a wall of energy that now surrounds me and Rati. I look on stunned at what is happening before my eyes. Suddenly I can't move anymore. I don't understand what is going on but Rati seems to know just what to do. I just watch and wait seeing what awaits me at the end I flash back to memories I hold of my sister wondering if they are false or even if I was ever truly her brother…

My mind races back to the present now a funnel of light has been formed and us. I hear HUcast ask what is going on but the rest is blocked out as my mind starts to disappear into the shadows of my soul. Before I lose consciousness completely I stare up at the stars again. Ever so peaceful and surreal they seem to me. I whisper to them ever so, only my ears catch it, a single tear streams down my right cheek, cold with my mind ever slowly becoming one with the shadows. With that I go into the shadows and darkness envelopes me…

Minor note from here on for the rest of this battle it will be told in First person but not through the eyes of the Main character it will be through Cranberry's, The HUcast's for a short time and most likely this new being and maybe Mewone's if he ever stops eating the popcorn and cheering on the killer Sato. Cranberry's perspective will be in normal type as well as Mewone's while the new beings will be italicized so the exchange flows as smoothly as possible. If this doesn't work tell me and I will try to change it.

I stare towards the vile of light that has formed around the hunter and laugh. "Ha so he has awakened now. Hmm even if he is a prototype I had better leave before "IT" awakens."

With that the HUcast begins to slip away from the scene. I decide to have a little fun with him before he leaves though and cast a rather powerful Zonde spell at him. The shock to his circuits shuts down his right side of his body. He falls to the ground with a clatter looks back at me and tries to curse me out with a half working mouth. I laugh at him and then turn my attention to this vile that has formed around Colt. The popcorn I am eating is very good but I need something to drink now… I look back to the HUcast and see him trying to stand I laugh at him again "Heh you don't learn very fast do you." I cast a small Grants attack at his right leg and watch as the holy light cause the leg to be blown apart from the inside out. Wires shoot out of the metal casting as if it were paper the leg then shatters. It becomes dust now a heavenly effect is given to the carnage in front of me. The HUcast screams in pain and then press the mark on his chest and disappears in a telpipe of some type. "Heh such a worthless creation he was, hardly worth my time." 

My eyes slowly open to the scene in front of me. The green HUcast is gone and the HUmar is no where to be seen. Only that one FOmar remains eating his popcorn still but staring intently at the light. I stand and look around Sato has recovered and is snarling at the pillar it is agitated and nervous, rare traits in him. Suddenly the light begins to fade and Sato charges at the thing that has appeared from it…

_I have awakened now… I stare at the stars wondering what this other soul said to them before it disappeared from my presence. I feel something on my arm suddenly, what is this feeling I have… Pain maybe? I turn towards my right arm and see this Red beast latched on to it, shaking its body back and forth hoping to detach a piece of it from my body. I begin to laugh my voice cold and no emotion in it for I have no need for such trivial things "What's the matter you foolish little beast? Are you hungry? Well why you don't try eating this!" My left hand comes up into its face and then small arrows of light shoot out from it and surround and pierce the Mag all over its body… The thing screams in pure pain and releases my arm from its death grip. It falls to the ground writhing back and form as if it has been burned from the inside out. I look down at it and laugh again cold and metallic is the way my voice sounds to my own ears now. The creature soon stops its squirming. I hear a scream of terror I look up from the pitiful creature before me and see a young FOnweral girl standing there looking at me in pure horror. I look over my body seeing how I could be frightening. My skin is covered in a black battle suit and my face is covered by a visor the only thing showing are my eyes. I turn my head to look behind me and am glad to see my wings are there as well. "What's the matter child? Are you afraid of me? Heh well you should be…" My eyes turn to her again. I hear the small creature begin to stir by my feet again..._

"Oh are you worried for your pet maybe. Heh don't be the attack I was used was merely a sixteenth of what it is capable of although it should have been knocked out much longer then that ha-ha guess I underestimated this creatures will… Oh well I wont do that again!" I turn towards the small red creature again. I open my right palm I stare down at the creature as a shadow slowly appears in my hand, it stares back at me snarling, flashing its teeth, and then it lunges for my throat… "Too slow worthless Maggot!" My left fist collides with the side of its small head; a metallic thud is heard as the back of my left hand impacts it. It stops mid air and then is sent hurtling into the ground five feet straight down into the asphalt. I look down into the hole as the Dust settles I see it twitching and wires protruding from its right side, they spark and flash as the electricity tries to make the jump from the breaks in them. "Well time to die then…" I move my right hand into the hole. Then suddenly a blade rakes across my back I wince but don't feel the pain my body just reacts to it but my mind doesn't register. I turn to see where the disturbance came from and see the little FOnweral girl has drawn a weapon of some kind. Its top part spins I look upon it. She launches another one of the photon blades at me I dodge to the left then right moving ever closer…

"SATO!" I scream as I draw my Windmill hoping to aid my Mag in any way possible. I get the top spinning charging for its special attack. I look quickly over to the scene before my eyes The strange abomination is now standing over the hole where Sato is ready to launch what appears to be a Megid attack. I quickly forget that and throw the first photon blade at him. It hits right in his back. His body winces and a very small trickle of what appears to be blood oozes from the wound. Although his body has shown signs of the wound being made his body doesn't react as such it was more like the wince was just the body itself acting on a subconscious level not the actually pain causing him to wince. He turns now and looks at me and smiles.

"You know this could have been so much easier if you had just let him go… Hmm what caring eyes you show. The thing then looks towards the stars… "So fake aren't they." He motions to the stars, "So lifeless and cold. Never caring when they come or go, even if they exist they have no true purpose in life but are there… Heh reminds me of myself… Oh well my place is set in life and yours has come to an end don't struggle too much I wouldn't want the other Soul in me to know you suffered…" Wha-What does he mean? Other Soul… Wait! Does he mean!

I soon snap out of my trance of thought as he lunges for me. I roll to the right and slide to my feet. I position my body low to the ground preparing myself to either dodge or go in for an attack… He doesn't move or even try to defend himself he just stands there waiting as if time was merely an option for him to acknowledge and take into existence… I charge him hoping to catch him off guard. I run almost to him but stop two feet in front jump back and to the right casting a blast of Gibarta at him as I go. It hits dead on and encases the person or whatever it may be in ice. I get ready to launch a Grants attack at it but then notice something…

"He's gone!" I scream aloud. He is gone from the ice case but it isn't shattered at all not even a crack in the ice to show it ever held him. I spin my body around franticly searching for him, my braid whipping around my head as I do so. I brush the lose hair out of my eyes and then suddenly feel the cold feel of a palm collide with the back of my skull. I fall to the ground and turn in the direction it came from. My head is sore and my vision is spinning from the attack and the sudden movement of my head to follow the attack… I stare up into the pale blue eyes of that thing… Those eyes so pale and cold… "I wish you wouldn't struggle the other soul in me is becoming restless and I do not wish for him to awaken!" With that his right hand lunges for my neck and he grabs it. The thing easily lifts me up by the neck I grab his writs and hands trying to break his grip or break his fingers something to let me breathe… But my strength is fading fast and his grip is like that of titanium strong and unrelenting. "Now slip into oblivion young-one others will join soon enough…" Then everything goes black but before it does I truly hear a scream of pain from the demon and then I fall…

I stand from my chair now the popcorn tumbling to the ground as I rise. I only hear the small taps of it hit the ground before I hear the demons screams of pain. I stand now in my casting position I had just launched a Grants attack… Heh to bad for that thing its one of my own device. Of course now I notice my popcorn has fallen to the ground damn that thing he made me drop it!

I laugh as the demon squirms in pain as my Grants technique doesn't just disappear after it has already penetrated him but it works its way through his whole body then exits and re-enters again and again. He hollers in pure pain for a moment and then suddenly stops… The spell has finally ended but he is not dead hell I don't even see any exit wounds on him… The thing turns to me now and stares at me with those pale blue eyes, so cold they seem. He walks slowly to me "Heh bad move there freak!" I scream and fire off round after photon round from my H&S25 Justice mech gun. The bullets hit him but he doesn't even make the effort to dodge as if he doesn't need to. Suddenly he lunges forward and grabs me by the neck. I fire another volley of photon bullets into his stomach and yet his body doesn't even seem to acknowledge them entering and exiting his body.

"Why do you people wish for death so often…?" It asks me. I merely laugh and say, "That's simple, for it's because I crave the destruction it can cause, for others it's to protect some one they know. Heh what about you… Why do you crave death?"

_"Heh what about you… Why do you crave death?" The human asks me now. I look upon him and then laugh. "You- You ask me why I crave death. Heh silly being I do not crave death I give it out." With that I squeeze his neck. "Stop this madness now!" Suddenly a voice rocks my mind. Pain surges through me and I drop the FOmar. I grab my head and scream in the agony that emits from it. "What- What is this you-you cant be awakened?" The voice rocks my mind again it's the Hunter's Soul that shares my body with me. "I am not something you can place away in the shadows in hope I turn to the dark and hide there for all time! You will not cause any more pain or death!" "DAMN YOU HUNTER! I WILL NOT BE LOCKED AWAY AGAIN SO EASILY!" I scream in pure rage and then launch countless strikes of energy at the random buildings and the ground around me causing whatever destruction I can. The voice screams in my head to stop the pain becomes intense beyond human comparison. "I said enough! With that my mind breaks and my vision slips into the shadows again. Before I leave these words escape me… "Hunter you may have won but this is not the end I still live on within you…"_

I soon awaken on the ground my face against the pavement I try to lift my head but cant the pain in me is too much I begin to black out but turn to my right and see Rati right beside me still alive and well… I awaken again sore and full of pain. I hear commotion and screams all around me I open my eyes and see a blinding white light. I suddenly sit up and look around me. I am in an intensive care room, in the medical area. I look around the room and notice four others sharing it with me. The young FOnweral Cranberry is unconscious in her bed. Her face is scratched up and a small cut runs along her neck. The FOmar Sage is sleeping in his bed still not awake from when he fainted. Also Mewone is there in a bed his back turned to me looking at the far wall. Also Samus is there as well standing against the wall opposite of my bed. He appears to be in standby.

I look out the window I hear sirens sounding off close by. I get out of my bed and walk towards the door. Mewone spies me and says something; my mind is shut off from it though. I walk out of the room and head for the entrance hall. I swing open the doors and stand in the reception area. A nurse sees me jumps and says in a panicked voice, "Mr.-Mr. Legenda! You shouldn't be up you have barley had two hours of sleep and your body still needs to recover!" I walk towards the sliding doors, the nurse stands in my way still protesting, ordering me to return to my room. I push her out of the way gently and the doors slowly open to the outside….

I turn the corner of the building and stop, falling to my knees as I see the scene before me. Whole buildings destroyed holes in the ground floor ten feet deep, the smell of burnt flesh, and sulfur in the air. I begin to weep now; freely the tears flow from my eyes and fall to the ground, the nurse comes out to me and says something but it doesn't click. "What- What have I done?" I say, the tears not stopping, I rest my hands on the ground and lower my head to look at the asphalt my eyes and soul not even remotely human enough anymore to look at the scene before me. The scene I have caused out of what I am… The tears forming dark spots where they fall with their small splashes they make as they hit the cold asphalt floor. "Wha-What am I? Who am I? Oh god what have I become…?" I don't ever remove my face from looking at the ground in front of me even when more nurses come out and help me to my feet. I continue too look at the ground with my pale blue eyes, eyes that don't deserve to be human anymore….


	6. What am I

**Chapter Six**

**What am I**

"_Heh foolish Hunter I told you I would never be gone from you…"_ "What? Who is there what are you talking about?" _"You have forgotten already who I am… Such a foolish little being why we are one in the same I will never know." _A face suddenly appears before me eyes. I can't make it out due to the helmet and visor covering it, the helmet is smooth and gleams in the light, and it cures at the top and has two wings like structures on the sides of it. The helmet covers all of his face save his eyes… My eyes, staring back at me. "No I am not you! I can not be you. I was not made!"

"_Heh stop with your foolish protests and denials little one… You know it to be true you can feel it churning through you burning away your insides as if it were an inferno just waiting to explode. How can you deny what you are now that we have awakened…? Heh accept it you never had a family you were created not born. As soon as you accept that fact we will truly be unstoppable!"_

"No!" "What the hell is wrong with him he has been screaming like this since last night…?" I hear voices float above my head I slowly open my eyes. The light pours in and I shut them again closing out the light, "I don't know he seems to be shaken up over what happened yesterday although I don't see how he can be… It wasn't him that did those things." "….Bio-Signs show increased activity in the cerebral cortex… He has awakened…"

A sudden silence envelopes the room, causing me to mentally shiver from the sudden loss of the noise. I slowly open my eyes again; I see Mewone, Cranberry and the other Force staring down at me intently from their various positions around the bed. I look past them and notice on the far wall facing the end of my bed Samus leans against the wall un-moving his visor staring intently at me. I look from face to face seeing a little concern in each. I turn and sit on the end of my bed and try to piece together the memories I have of what has transpired. At first nothing just shadows and the nightmare, then it all rushes back to me in a flood threatening to drown me in its wake unless I cling to a small fragment of reality.

The HUcast, the battle… The thing I became, it all comes back to me now. I close my eyes and screw up my hands to fists. Tears begin to leak out of my eyes. "What is wrong?" I hear Cranberry ask, I can sense the other two wondering the same about me. I stand up look at her in the eye. I try to say something anything but can't instead I turn towards the door and bolt. My feet are the only ones who know where I am headed the rest is a blur in my memory I only have small glimpses of what happened or what could have happened. I make it out the medical area, head for the teleporter and then slam my fist down on to its console not caring what destination I set in as long as I am away from those four and the rest of Pioneer 2…

I soon open my eyes again and see I am back in the forest area of Ragol. I take off running through the foliage and plant life of Ragol, my feet making the only noise against the ground… I hear another noise turn and see an Al Rappy sitting by a small stream… It hasn't seen me yet and I slowly walk by it hoping not to attract its unwanted attention, I just want to be alone right now… Splash suddenly I look down and see I have stepped in a puddle I turn towards the Rappy and see it has noticed me… I stare in its eyes for a few minuets wondering what will happen when it lets out angry caw of sorts and five more of the birds fall to the ground from the trees… I look and see one is different from the others, it's a Pal Rappy and its huge!

They all turn to me now and slowly waddle towards me… Normally I would have stood and fought them hoping to gain something valuable off of them but I have no weapons at the moment hell I didn't even bother to care if Rati was with me I just want to get away from this nightmare in my head that doesn't stop. I try to run but notice one is behind me and by the time I deal with him all the others will have encircled me as well… I am cornered now, I think to myself maybe I deserver this maybe this is fates equalizer for what I had unleashed on the innocent people and hunters of Pioneer 2. I stand there now and wait for them to come.

"_You foolish little creation… Do you really think it would be so easy for you to end your life when we are one?" _"What… Who are you? What do you want fro-GAHH!" Pain surges through my head suddenly. An intensive and horrendous pain that I could never know my head felt as if it should have been torn in two over and over again. Suddenly my limbs are not my own I begin to move forward toward the Rappies. Even my voice is not my own I can not speak or move I can only watch… The entity with in me brings his fist forward slamming it into the nearest Al Rappy. The creature's beak breaks and it falls to the ground, dead or unconscious I am unsure…

"_What simple little creatures these are hardly worth my effort. Ahahaha! Oh look another one is bold enough to attack me well we will see how long he lives when…! Huh! Foolish mortal stop struggling or you will kill us both!"_ I don't though I call upon every once of strength I have in me to hold his assault back against the Rappies… As I struggle internally with my self the huge Pal Rappy comes up to my body and begins pecking at it mercilessly as my inner war continues… _"Damnit you foolish hunter!" _Suddenly I lose control again and the being is driving my body. He slams his hand open palmed at the bird it doges to the right fast for its size. We are now surrounded by them. The new entity in me decides to feel instead of fight. Wings suddenly sprout from my back and I take off into the sky a passenger in a body that is my own but not my own as well…

I land far away from where we started… I begin the internal struggle for power over my body again. _"Heh foolish creation you can't win! Without your Mag to act as a regulator on me I will always be the one in control! Accept that fate you are just along for the ride now…"_ "No I wont accept that I will win I will have my body back you vile thing!" _"Heh just try you pathetic little worm! You won't win!" _The power struggle begins my body goes lax as our wills try to over power the other. Neither of us notices the enormous Hildet until it is too late… It shoots a powerful jolt of electricity from its inner sacks and the blast instantly paralyzes my body. Tired and battered from the previous fight with The Pal Rappy and the wounds still open and bleeding I can not move at all, I slump to the ground my breathing labored… The Hildet walks over to me and slams its huge fists into my rib cage over and over again. My armor provides some protection but it can only take so much. I hear a small crack and a then shattering of metal as the Hildet's fist comes crashing down against it. Broken, the armor simply falls off my body in three different parts.

The Hildet then slams one of its fists into my ribcage. I feel and hear the morbid sound of my bones breaking and cracking from the force of the blow. Suddenly I become short of breath and I begin to cough. I close my eyes until the fit ends and then look into front of me and notice a red spot before my eyes… Its blood, my own blood…. I am internally bleeding now or a Rib has punctured one of my lungs. The vile Monkey then rears up and pounds its chest and makes a scream of some kind… One of triumph apparently, it then brings its fist down on my back this time not as powerful as before but it sends my body reeling to the ground. I hear another crack and look back…

My right leg is sticking out at an abnormal angle I can see the bulge of the bone protruding form the skin… I don't move for fear of feeling intense pain afterwards for I know the only thing keeping me awake during this is the thousands of pounds of adrenalin coursing through my body to kill any pain I may be feeling. _"You fool move before he kills us!" _"Shut it you are not in control here I am this is my body and my memories and my heart! Be it organic or non I will not let you have it!" I scream at the other soul in me. The Hidlet hears this and looks at me, puzzled I believe is the term I want to use to describe that morbid monkey face…

A surge of pain re-enters my mind as the Hidlet pulls on my right arm pulling it out of its socket. "GAHHH!" The monkey just seems to laugh and dangle me from my unconnected arm. It soon takes the other arm and pulls on that one as well… "Pop…" I wince at the pain but try not to scream for this seems to only further incite the beast's sick humor. It grunts again and then begins to dangle me from both arms… My left leg the only thing in my body not broken…. I begin to fade though darkness covering my eyes… Damnit I am loosing too much blood inside of me if only I could use my Resta tech I could give myself enough time to set a telpipe and head for… No I can't go back to Pioneer 2 not with this hell seed still inside withering trying to break free of my hold…

I turn to face the Hidlet… That face still laughing at me… "Yeah that's right you continue to laugh you deranged monkey… I still have won the battle though… HAA!" I slam my left foot as hard as I can into the beasts chest. Of course it does nothing it only angers the monkey even more, He begins to pull on both my arms now ever slowly enjoying the sight of the pain on my face…

"Heh too bad for you monster but your about to get a freezing reminder not to screw with Hunters…" With that I launch almost all of my remaining mental energy into a Rabarta blast. The beast lets me drop to the ground I crumple to the forest floor and watch as my luck holds out and the beast is frozen in place… I only have a few seconds and begin my Resta Tech. I feel the healing energy flow through me… My leg soon isn't at the awkward angle anymore all being it is still broken and un-fit to walk on at all. I begin to stumble dragging my leg behind me as fast as I can hoping for some miracle that I can live. I soon hear the ice shatter and the beast Charges towards me again. It leaps and slams down on me with its massive fist sending my head into the earth… Thank god it rained… I turn over and realize he has broken my left leg as well now in the attack…

I begin to laugh hysterically at no one or to any one. Tears form at my eyes, as I think "So this is how I will die by some rabid monkey and a worm of evil inside me eating away at me… Heh so be it then, hell I guess this is fate I don't even know who I am anymore or what I am…"

I look up towards the sky and notice the sun is starting to set, I laugh again at the rose red color it paints the sky, I feel as if I can almost smell their fragrance in the air as I laugh and the tears go down my face. "Ahaha, figures it would have to be a mellow dramatic ending for me… Now all I need is some one in my life to whisper I love you to towards the sky before my end. Ha as if I did ever have anyone or anyone would want me… AHAHAAHA! That's right fate do you're worst no one will ever miss me when I drift away, so give me your best shot! Come on then!"

I scream at the Hidlet insane laughter still gripping me as tears go down my face. The morbid animal lifts its fist up for the final attack, I suddenly begin to lose focus and my sight darkens… I am running out of blood looks like I won't see the end… Heh oh well I had no need to anyways no one cares for me…. Yet before I loose all sight and slip into death I ask the sky this question "What am I?" I suddenly hear a shout of sorts and the animal rear back and a figure jump in front of me. I slip into unconscious just as I hear, "No you're not leavening!" I then feel two hands by my face… I then fall into the darkness…


	7. Help Comes in Many Forms

**Chapter Seven**

**Help Comes in Many Forms**

Have I truly left this earth for good? Can I finally have rest from this eternal nightmare I would suffer if I were alive. _"Worthless Maggot, open your eyes fool we are both still alive. Your little plan failed you are still my vessel and you're not one step closer to finding out your past…" _My eyes flutter open underneath my own will this time. I look and see the stars glowing above me. Shining so full of light and yet so cold and unforgiving as well… I turn my head to the right and notice a small fire going with some clothes by it… Wait clothes? I look under the survival blanket I am in and realize two important facts very quickly…. I am suddenly freaking cold first of all and those are my clothes by the fire!

"How in the hell did I get like this?" I look around, desperate to see how I could have made it to this spot after nearly being killed… I try to move but intense pain shoots through my whole body I fall to the ground almost blacking out. _"You imbecile did you forget so quickly our body was nearly destroyed back there!" _ I ignore his comments, blindly searching for the answer I need... I again try to move, this time my body reacts harshly to my stupidity, I scream in agony and then my vision goes black…

"HmmHmmHmHmmmmm, Ladada-dada…" I wake to soft humming and singing… Who is that I wonder I try to move but the pain returns I wince and decide to just lay there. "Ladadada-dadada…" I listen to the slow tune no words to it just a simple lullaby would be my guess sung from mother to child. I listen to the tune slowly letting my mind wander then suddenly remember… I have no clothes on underneath this blanket… I snap open my eyes and see another pair of brown ones looking back at me…. "ACK! What the hell!" "Hehe! He is awake now!" A young girl says to some one else… "What do you mean now?"

I ask wondering who the heck she is and who she is talking to… The young girl appears fifteen, she has brown hair and brown eyes, her face is soft and so is her voice she is wearing a simple hunters grab that is bright pink in color. I momentarily think of gouging my eyes out to help they get some relief from the horrendous color…. I know she isn't a hunter or she has just become one, no Hunters face is that soft after a few months of doing this profession… "What do you think I mean moron? Geez this guy is so dense why did you have to save him Mint? "W-What did you just say?" My eyes become wide and I snap my head in the direction she was talking and there I see the young Hunewarl girl again… Mint… "You have got to be kidding me…." My face turns flat no expression anymore as I speak. To the young girl it appears comical she slightly giggles at this and then walks away… My face still holding that "This sucks" appearance on it.

I see Mint turn to me with a smile on her face and a giggle. I turn my head away from her and wonder what the hell is going on and why she didn't just let the Hildet kill me when it had the chance. "What's your name?" "Gahh! What the hell!" That other damned girl has scared me again she just continues to laugh. "Hehe I asked what your name is silly?" "If you must know its Colt…" I reply with my voice trying to remain monotone with her. "Hmm. You don't look like a Colt… You look more like… Terry! That's what I will call you Terry!" She says this with a smile on her face. I continue to stare at the girl in disbelief. What the fck is going on… I wonder to myself, _"For once we are in agreement…"_ I ignore that comment and continue to focus on my current problem... Getting my clothes back where they belong, on my body… I hear footsteps echoing through the foliage and dead leaves. I go to grab my weapon but remember it was destroyed… Also the fact that my body shoots another bout of pain through itself doesn't help either. The girls seem to notice as well. They both drop into defensive positions as the sound gets closer though I hear a new one, a soft thump sound as if a heavy object is bouncing against…. Leather? "Yay! He is back Marc is back!" The smaller girl say's and heads towards the sound of the foot steps. "If you are wondering what her name is, it's Alexis, Colt…" I turn my head to face Mint once again… Same as last time I saw her, cute… _"I will agree with you on that as well Hunter."_ "…Thanks…" I reply the words having to be forced out of my mouth, the hatred still burning there from what happened…

She looks at me as if I am cold…. She turns and goes back to what she was doing… "I don't know what has changed you Colt… But I wish I knew…" I say nothing and continue to stare off into the sky. Alexis and the one she called Marc return his arm around her by the waist. "Hello Marc I trust you were satisfied with your exploration for the day?" Mint says smiling. "Hmm not really I still didn't see any one else and I haven't found out where exactly we are yet but I have a general idea. Oh I see our friend he is awake… I thought he would have been out longer." He extends his hand to me "I am Marc or some call me Eriror." I take his hand and tell him my name. He looks at me for a minute with puzzlement in his face but it quickly vanishes with a sudden breeze. I look past his head and find out what the other noise was that I heard… It was his weapon strapped to his back, a Zanba.

"Hey Mint, Alexis, can you leave us for a minute I believe our friend would like his clothes back on Heh." "Yes that would be a welcome change from this awkward position…" They then collectively before the girls left cast a round of Resta on me each in turn. I feel some of my bones coming back together with pops and groans. It isn't exactly the most pleasant feeling, but soon enough I can wiggle my toes again. The two girls leave and Marc throws me my clothes, he turns after words to give me some privacy. "You know Colt your lucky, if Mint hadn't been with us we never would have turned off that trail in search of you when she recognized your voice."

"Really?" I ask in utter confusion… My clothes are back on now although all my ribs and leg bones are still tender. My left arm is still in a sling as well. "Yes. Without her you would have been dead for sure… She told me of how you two were separated, a little over a week ago. She says she woke up the next morning and saw yours and two others foot prints leavening the camp site, she says it also looked like a fight had taken place between you and the other people." "….."

I remain silent after that and tell him I am fine and fully clothed. "That's better wow, where is your weapon?" He asks… I tell him of how it got broke by a Red Sato owned by Cranberry. "Heh you got in the way of its daily mauling of Sage didn't you Hahaha!" He continues laughing and I join as well. The girls come back, quietly and Alexis goes to Marc's side, Mint stands next to mine, I back off a couple of inches still unsure of what to believe…

"Well it seems we are all able to walk now so let's say we eat?" Marc Suggest Alexis beams at the idea and Mint smiles… I simply shake my head and say I need to be alone with my thoughts for a moment. I walk away from the group out of the camp site making sure to go in a straight line as not to lose my way… I soon come upon an over hang that outlooks a small river about twenty feet above. I sit on the edge of the over hang and go through my data files again stored in my gauntlet. I check the ones I took from the hunters Guild to see if any are relevant to my new predicament but know show any files of a green HUcast registered there or show any of my sister, other then the quest that is still being offered…

I scroll away from that part and go to check my inventory of items I have with me. Suffice to say I have none what so ever…

"Hey aren't you going to join us?" I turn towards the sudden voice and see its Mint again… I turn back to the sunset and watch it solemnly… My emotions grappling with themselves on what I should do… "Mind if I sit?" I shake my head no to her and she sits beside me, her arms wrapped around her legs.

She stares at the ground for awhile. No words pass between us at all just time. "Why have you become so cold Colt?" The question stuns me and I turn to her now unable to break away from her gaze or answer her… "That night, the last night you saw me I was attacked by someone…" She looks at me I spy it out of the corner of my eye… Is that a look of concern…? No it can't be she was the one that attacked me…

Wasn't she…? Doubts cloud my mind… "I have become cold because when I looked up from the muddy gulch that I was forced to roll into that night, I looked up into the figure of you carrying a Heart of Poumn…" I let this sink in to her I see the reaction on her face… Are those tears she is crying? This doesn't make any sense? I thought she was the one that attacked me! Wasn't she?

I return my gaze back to the sunset… It is beautiful, I think of Mint's face smiling as I look upon it… What am I thinking! Didn't she try to kill me…? Didn't she? "Do you truly believe I would do that to you Colt?" She asks genuine hurt in her voice… I turn my head away from the sunset and her to stare into the shadow of a nearby tree…

I do not answer her, my mind still plagued with that question. I hear a sobbing coming from her; she gets up quietly and leaves me again… As she rise and walks by a single tear of hers falls on my right shoulder… I stare at the ground now my mind plagued with torment over what to believe… A sudden scream pierces the calm tranquility sending birds out of the nearby trees into the slowly darkening sky. I jump with a start, it came from the camp! I quickly take off at a run; I strap my Secret Gear on to my right arm since my left arm is useless in a fight.

I come upon the sight to see hordes of Bartel, Barbel scattered around the camp. I also spot two groups of Gulgus five in each group, both led by one Gulgus-Gue. I stare in horror at the number of monsters swarming the area. I can hardly believe it… "Gahh damn beasts!" I hear Marc cry as he swings his Zanba slicing anything that got to close in half. Alexis is behind having drawn a Bloody Arts blade to defend his backside. I quickly look around and find Mint fighting off some Barbels. She tries to push her way to Marc and Alexis but each time she gains ground she loses two more feet due to the crushing number of Barbels.

Her Heart of Poumn rakes across one beast chest after the next sending blood spray and matter every where as she does this. I see she may be over run soon not from exhaustion but pure numbers. I run towards her, just as she slashes down another Barbel I step in front of her and intercept the blow of a Bartels claw. "What are you doing?" She asks in surprise and shock. "What do you think I am doing? I am giving you a chance to help get Marc Alexis and yourself out of here!" She looks at me, tears start to from in her eyes "But, but we can't just leave you here to die!" "Look and listen to me! I am no good to the group I am wounded and can not hold a weapon to help fight! All I can do is defend against them! You must help Marc and Alexis out of here so you can re-group and come back later to see if I still live!" "Does this mean..?" "Yes, yes it does… Now GO!" I scream shoving the Bartel back with all my might sending it sprawling into three others of its kind.

Mint runs to Marc and Alexis' aid and slashes through the ranks of the beasts surrounding them… Good they are going to live… I am glad… The Bartels have gotten up again and advance on me… "Come on then! Let's see what you got in you!" I scream to them hoping to draw the attention of the other beasts as well. It begins to work all of what is left of them slowly begin to move around me… I bring my right arm up again and again as the Bartel slashes at my chest.

Suddenly I feel the slash of a Gulgus horn rake across my back. I scream in pain as he knocks his head into my rib cage as well. The other monsters stop and then move closer, The Bartel begins the onslaught again… This time lower towards my mid section… I block as best I can now more begin in the attack multiple blows come from all sides I can barley dodge and block at the same time… I soon become tired and want to stop but know if I stop death will be waiting for me there. I continue on the weaving ducking and blocking, this intercept dance of death where the wrong move will be your last… I dodge to left my hear a cry behind my and turn to block… I am not fast enough and the claws of a Barbel rake across my rib cage sending my sprawling to the ground twenty feet away…

I spit up blood again… "Damn I just had these fixed to…" I laugh to myself a little at the last comment as the horde moves in to kill me… The triumphant Barbel roars in satisfaction as it brings its Claw up for the final strike… I close my eyes and hope everyone else got away, I whisper one final phrase "Mint… I am sorry I ever doubted your trust… I am sorry."


	8. Project Eclipse

**Chapter Eight**

**Project Eclipse…**

As my eyes begin to close and the Barbel raises its scythe arm up for the final strike I hear a small mechanical whine, As if something is charging to fire… Suddenly The Barbel roars in pain and falls to the ground with three others that were to its right. I whirl my head to source of the shot and see a smoking Guilty Light held by an odd orange and green colored RAcast. I smile as Samus stands behind the Guilty Light and fires off another round; the photon shell sizzles as it travels through the air. It passes through four enemies before it dissipates into nothing, leaving a hole in the center of each target that gets smaller as it passes through each body.

I rise to a standing position and soon hear an all too familiar croon to my right and left shoulders, My Mag Rati descends to its normal position above my shoulders. It quickly vibrates up and down and releases a wave of Shifta and Deband into Samus and I. The defense boosting and offensive boosting techs fill my body; Samus turns to me and then looks towards the other three, as they destroy the last of the monsters. Marc slashes through two at once cutting them horizontally into two halves. Alexis stabs her dagger into the mid section of Gul-gus it roars and then falls to the ground dead. Mint slashes the final Tollaw with her Heart of Poumn. It drops to the ground and a red box appears. She picks it up looks at its contents and laughs. "It's nothing more then a PD. Tee hee hee." Samus looks at me again his visor giving a grave expression if I could read it, "Colt why did you run off as such?" The obvious questioned asked I figure, I look away unsure of how to answer him.

Samus stands waiting for my answer; I begin to explain when something brings me away from it, another noise. Foliage cracking and being snapped by foot steps. Samus quickly throws me a red box getting into a gunning position for optimum aim and defense against the oncoming threat. I check the contents of the box and see it is my old Chain Sawd. I quickly grab it in my right hand and get into a defensive position. I am no good at full swings or strikes with it; the weapon was made to be handled with two hands and arms for maximum control and damage of the spinning blades. Either way the small band of blades begins to rotate humming as it picks up speed as I stand waiting. My breath quickens my pulse begins to race my adrenaline level spikes I crouch ready to try and end it quick I am only going to have one chance at landing a killing or disabling blow. Anything less and I am dead… Samus brings his finger on the trigger as the noise becomes louder, wait multiple foot steps are coming towards us at least two people or things are coming… Sweat develops on my brow I tighten my grip on the handle painfully gripping it my knuckles aching for me to ease up on my grip.

Suddenly the foliage breaks before me I spring forward my blade leveled across the left of my chest I begin to swing ready to cleave the attacker in two the small band of blades hum into life the sound echoing through out the foliage. I look as light comes into the darkened area and realize a fatal mistake! I am going to strike down Cranberry! I am in the middle of my swing! The momentum of my blade can't be stopped; I don't have the strength to do so with just my right arm! Unless, I quickly try and rotate my body with the blade and angle it at an upward angle, No it's still not going to clear her! Suddenly I hear Samus fire his Guilty Light. The photon Shell slams into my Chain Sawd sending it forward and up with more then enough momentum to clear her. She ducks and the blade clears her head by mere inches. I jump backwards into the air continuing my rotation of the blade, until I land slamming the front end of the blade down hard in the ground. Sweat envelopes my face now my breathing labored to the point where I may collapse soon. My vision begins to fade and I slump against the blade, the world slows to a crawl I see Cranberry and Samus rise to their feet then I notice Mewone enter the area behind Samus and then some one else, I black out before I see his face…

Colt: "Save the whales!" Mewone: "…..What the hell is he babbling about now?" Sage: "I think he said save the whales…" Eriror: "There are whales on Ragol?" Cranberry: "Not if he doesn't save them!" Samus: "Error in computer data base. No such record of any marine mammal being spotted or captured from Ragol's oceans…" Alexis: "…That RAcast is scary…" Eriror: "Don't Worry Alexis he isn't going to hurt you." Colt: "Somebody please think of the whales!" Mewone: "I think Colt has lost it this time… Either that or he slammed his head too hard against the ground when he blacked out…" Sage: "Now Mewone don't say such ill things for all we know he could really like whales." Mewone: "…Sage… I think Sato is hungry…" Sage: "Ack! Where!" Cranberry: "Tee Hee Mewone that's not nice! You know Sato only attacks Sage when she sees him." Samus: "…Humans…" Mint: "Is any one going to think about Colt other then me?" Cranberry: "…? Sato what are you doing out?… And why do you look so big?" Sato seems to have a cough and then suddenly a full grown Blue Whale appears out of her mouth and then flops off the cliff into the nearby river Mewone: "….What the in the name of God's Green earth! Was that... What…. teh… hell…" Colt: "The Whale is saved!" Sage: "………" Samus: "….Error does not compute… Scanning… Yep does not compute…" Sato: Grins Proudly Everyone: "…………." crickets chirp Mint: "I think he is coming too!"

My eyelids begin to flutter the world is a blur at first nothing but random colors of blues and browns and one giant spot of red… Wait red? My vision suddenly snaps into focus and I see everyone's eyes on mine and I see Sato floating above them all suddenly bear her shining white fangs. The fading sun catches off them and lances directly into my eyes. I move my hand to shield the light… Too bad it's my left arm that moves. My body suddenly surges with pain from the broken limb I go to grab it only to move to fast and my ribs then protest in there own ache. I fall back down and just look up into all the faces… "Hey everyone… Any one get the color of that transport ship that hit me?" Everyone just looks at me quietly.

I sit up again making sure I use my right arm for support this time… I begin to stand Samus moves forward with the distinctive clank where even out here in the forest the sound is still made. He makes sure I can stand on my own then when I assure him I can, he pulls away slowly and then turns and joins the rest of them as I regain my balance. Mewone then comes up to me looks in my eyes and asks… "Hey… You want to tell us about any hidden desire you have particularly for marine mammals?" I look at him thinking what the hell is wrong with him now. When I don't answer he just grins and then puts his hand on my right shoulder. I shake my head in utter confusion over this development. Mint then steps forward and hugs me. She squeezes me tight. Why, I am unsure all I know is that it feels nice and then I am suddenly in great pain. I don't say anything and just let her continue. She let's go and then stands to my left, looking at me occasionally. Weird I think, well at least she stopped before my ribs re-broke. Marc and Alexis just laugh at me a little and say welcome back to reality. I then notice Sage, the FOmar from the other day. The one that was being chased by Sato. I notice his hair is tied back in a pony tail and that he wears spectacles as well, I look upon him as a teacher. He says thank you once again for helping him the other day and then asks the question that I truly do not wish to answer…

"Why did you run off suddenly like that? It seemed as if you had seen a ghost or you were running from your past, as if you wanted there not to be a tomorrow?" "… I am sorry… I can't answer that…!" I take off running away yet again from them… Leaves, blades of grass small twigs, all of them crushed under my feet as I put as much distance between… My friends and me… Only my Mag is able to keep with me. I run not knowing a sense of direction or purpose other then to leave them in the dust _"Ha running away as always aren't you hunter…" _I ignore him; I have to keep going, I can't stop I wont let them catch up with me.

Crack! instantly my face meets the cold wet mud. I turn back and see my ankle has caught and been broken on an un-earthed tree root. My fists slam into the ground once again as I realize I can't run from my future or past anymore… I turn around and push my body into a sitting position, and begin to cast Resta focused on my ankle. The green glow begins to surround the break, I hear the cracking and groaning as the bones re-arrange themselves and connect back together. Sadly this tech does have its limits. Although it may set and connect the bones it does nothing for their strength or durability. I gingerly put my weight on it… Pain shoots through my leg but I can hobble on it now at least. "Damnit… Why me?" I look up to the sky its almost night and a slow mist begins to fall. "Perfect… Just perfect…"

I hear a croon behind my back and assume its Rati I turn to pet my Mag and calm him. As I turn I notice it's not Rati… But Sato… My hand freezes in place just inches before her head between her eyes… "Oh crap…" Is all I can utter... The Mag looks at me puzzled for a moment then tilts its head back and forth a little as if wondering if it should continue on with its scheme. My hand still frozen in place begins to tremble, sweat streams from my brow as I wait and wonder what's going to happen next. Sato moves closer to my wrist, she sniffs around it for a little bit then bears her white fangs.

My knuckles turn white with fear, Sato then very carefully and quickly yanks, upon my arm gauntlet dislodging it from my wrist she then throws it up in the air and swallows it whole heartily. "Great just great… Ugh… What cant you store in there Sato?" I ask her not expecting an answer but get a grin from her none the less. She then begins to float back to the campsite. I follow unable to really do much with out my gauntlet. We enter the camp site again and everyone is there waiting…

I sit in a corner away from the fire that has been started, Everyone's head turns as I walk outside the calm welcoming glow of the fire. I soon find a tree to sit under by myself away from everyone for a little bit. I need to think. I stare up at the darkened sky and watch the rain fall on my face. I sit quietly lost in my thoughts for the moment. Foot steps bring my face back to a normal position and I see its Cranberry with Sato above her left shoulder that has come. "Hey… Mind if we sit near you guys?" I shake my head no, not up for too much conversation at the moment but company I wouldn't mind.

"So where do you plan to head next in search of clues to find what your sister did?" I stare wide eyed at her. How did she figure out- "Heh you might want to put your eyes back in your head Colt Mewone and Mint told me you were looking for information on her." I laugh a little and then turn my head to the crowd of them by the fire. Mewone and Sage talking and play fighting back and forth, Samus standing off in the back ground under the comfort of a tree away from the rain, Alexis and Marc Sitting side by side just watching the fire enjoying each others company, And Mint sitting down as well just gazing around at everyone with a smile on her face.

"… To tell you the truth I don't really know where to go as of yet… The only place I can think of is the mining areas below Ragol's surface. They present the only feasible option at this point seeing as how it's the only the place the guild hasn't really been able to extract all the old Pioneer 1 files." She turns her head away after hearing this and stares at the fire I do as well, the silence enveloping all of us. "Hey!" I look up and see Sage and Mewone going at it now Blades drawn and engaged in combat.

"Ha this ought to be good. Who are your odds on Cran?" She looks at me smiles and says "Why Sato of course." I laugh again and watch the mock fight go on between the two, both using a variation of the Agito model katana. The blades clash, sparks fly and the ring of the metallic crash sends echoes through the night. Solemn bells of death to any enemy, yet also a joy between friends as they practice. Sato suddenly fly's in my face and bears her white teeth again. "Ack! What do you want now you already ate my gauntlet?" She just continues grinning and then suddenly heaves from her mouth my gauntlet. "WHAT…TEH…hell…?" I look at Cranberry she just stares off at the battle as if this is a regular occurrence to her. I pick up the gauntlet and stare at her again

"You are one strange Mag Sato, you never cease to amaze or scare me." Sato grins from a job well done and then floats off to end the play fight between the two FOmars. Sage: "Gahh! Back Sato Back!" Mewone: "Heh Save a Sage, eat a whale." Sage then continues to back off, Sato approaches him a gleam in her eye I have only seen twice. "Told you Sato would win." Cranberry laughs and then says "Colt we will all help you find what you need to know don't doubt that. We will help no matter what secrets you may be hiding from us, just trust us and tell them to us that's all we ask…" The FOnweral then stands and walks away to see if she can pull Sato away from Sage before she causes any real harm to the scared Force.

I just watch as the helpless struggle between Sage and Sato continues. I laugh as I see Sato miss her mark time and time again, Sage an expert at dodging the Mag seems to have devolved a sixth sense over the years, I presume that Sato has been trying to eat him for. I laugh again quietly to myself and then stand and head out for a walk again needing to clear my mind yet again before I go to sleep. I leave the campsite 20 yards behind me and find a small boulder in a clearing rather odd I think but don't care at the moment for the view it offers to the sky is to alluring to me at the moment.

I lean against the boulder staring at the sky as the light mist continues to fall. _"Hmm I see you like to look to the sky as well Hunter. Maybe we are not so different after all haha…"_ "Can it… We may be in the same body but our souls couldn't be further apart." _"Hmm so you say, you will see in due time we are one in the same and it is our destiny to become what we were created to be." _I block him out of my mind the only sounds are that of the soft shower of rain against the landscape and the hum of my Mag as it stays afloat in its current position.

"How am I going to get to the mines…? It's too much time to walk there on foot and I doubt I will be very welcomed back on to Pioneer 2 after what happened… Damn. There just has to be a way for me to get in them!" I stare back at the sky; I could always try a telepipe again into the city during the curfew hours on Pioneer 2… But, with so many of us going it would be a huge group to try and hide from the security… That is if they are all going… I still can't think all of them are willing to help me, they don't even know why I am searching for this information, yet they are still willing to help! Gahh! Why?

"_Heh isn't it obvious to you yet? You seem to make friends no matter what you do; people are drawn to you… For what reason I am unsure, from what I have seen you are not a social person haha." _"Bahh… What do you care all you want is to show me this grand design you say I was "made for." _"All will be shown in due time Hunter… All in due time." _"Curse you and your riddles…" I turn to the ground now watching as the water slowly collects into little pools on the ground, my Mag shakes itself to clear the water of it, in the process I get drenched even more then I already was. "Thanks Rati." He simply turns and croons to me again. I can't help but smile at him.

I begin my slow walk back to the camp waiting it out as long as possible unsure still of how I am going to reach the mines… I look as I enter the campsite and see mostly everyone is asleep. I see some one has taken first watch and is sitting underneath the tree Samus was standing under earlier. I walk over and see it is Sage. He turns as he hears water splash from the small puddles scattered about the camp sight. "So glad you have returned Colt." He smiles at me his spectacles giving him the appearance of a teacher pleased at seeing his pupil get the answer correct after trying so hard.

"Hi Sage…"

"Come sit for a little bit I can tell you are not tired, and I am up for some friendly conversation after nearly being eaten by my last guest." I laugh quietly as I go to sit beside him. He turns towards the sky as I take a seat beside him, he turns then and asks, "So why did you run away from the medical area two days ago?" I can see his eyes twinkling knowing I will give him the answer whether I truly intended to or not…

"…Where do I start…? Well after you passed out Sato wasn't exactly happy with me for interrupting its meal." "Hmm yes I know the feeling all to well." I smile ever so slightly as I see his expression soften further. He reminds me so much of a tutor.

"Anyways after that Sato attacked and well before long a Green HUcast entered the battle and knocked me to the pavement. He only seems interested in one thing though, killing me or having me come with him to meet his master… He was far more powerful then any one I had ever fought, I would have lost were not for Cranberry saving me when she did by sending Sato into a head on charge at the machine." "Heh it sounds just like her to do something like that." "Well… Sato didn't fare to well and then the HUcast turned on her… I-I…I almost got her killed!" I begin to convulse a little at the thought of the memory again feeling so helpless and unable to do anything at all! "Hey whoa calm down. It's all right." Sage says I soon begin to calm and just look at the ground as I continue.

"After that he started to squeeze the life out of her, I froze; I couldn't move or talk to tell him to stop… That I would go as long as he left her alone… Then Rati slammed into his sides. He dropped Cran and with speeds I never knew I could reach I grabbed her and set her down by Sato… After that it's simply a blur almost like I wasn't even in the act but part of the audience. I saw the green HUcast ready to kill me and then a light surrounded my body and then… Something emerged from the light…" "Wait don't you mean you emerged?" "No… Something… Something that is and isn't me…"

Sage looks at me then looks off to his left and mumbles something… "…Damnit!

I was hoping those were just rumors… looks like they weren't though… Damn the Guild!" "Sage? What do you know…?" He turns back to me a sadden expression darkens his face, he seems so old now, so old and weary… "sigh Where do I start…? It seems that when Pioneer 1 came to Ragol and found the mines and the ruins they discovered the D-Cell… The cell that is contained within all the creatures in the ruins… They thought since it has such regenerative capabilities that it could be harnessed for military use… They had many experiments, and many failed… Some men just flat out flat lined when administered the serum containing the D-Cells… Others… Became something other then human… And from what I have gathered only two subjects lived from project Serenity… One being the believed deceased commander Heath Cliff… And the other… Well we are unsure all we know is the code name for it being… Eclipse…"

My head explodes with pain. Flashes of memory come before me. Test tubes, scientists, that FOmar and the HUcast again. That HUcast! It was the same one that had presented me with my Hunter's License so many years ago. It was the same one that attacked me…


	9. I Hate the Mines

**Chapter Nine**

**I Hate the Mines**

"...lt ...olt... COLT!" My eyes open as my head rolls back and forth on my shoulders. I try and focus my eyes but can't due to the random shaking that some one is doing to me. "Stop with the shaking! I am awake!" The lurching of my body cease and my eyes begin to readjust as the world soon starts to slow in its frantic spin. Closing my eyes now and refocusing them in my skull I open them to see Sage standing with his hands on my shoulders a relived look fills his eyes. "... Why was it I just feel like I have been dragged by Sato for a couple of miles…?" Sage looks at me and laughs a little, "Well… You actually passed out on me at the mention of the Eclipse project, your body convulsed in painful ways and your eyes rolled back in your head." I look at him thinking, that sounds painful.

"Anyways it's late and my watch isn't over yet… Get some rest you could use it we have a long road ahead of us… All of us…" With that Sage turns looks out over the area surrounding our camp… I take my leave and find a spot some where on the ground that is littered with bodies. I see Marc and Alexis close by one another, I see Cranberry with Sato nuzzled against her cheek. Mewone is closer by the fire apparently seeking warmth from it but none are close to him.

Samus is settled up against a rock in Stand By, and Mint is off a little from everyone else… Alone almost it seems… I pick a spot close by her unsure why I do this, maybe the need for a friend? Or maybe I just don't know anymore… I pull out a sleeping bag and settle down to the right off her. I turn on to my back and stare up at the stars for a long while, trying to remember what I saw…

"AHHH!..." I scream as I come awake, sweating coming off my brow. I look around my breath coming in small short gasps as the images of my nightmare fade from my grasp. I try to cling to them wondering what they are of, pondering why they seem so real… As if memories… My body quivers slightly and I look around… No one has awakened from my scream…

Samus is up for watch now, it's almost dawn… I slip out of the sleeping bag and stand stretching trying to rid myself of the horrid dream… I decide to head to the stream I saw the day before; I need a wash badly… I walk there enjoying the quite sounds of the wildlife serenity around me… Even though Ragol is dangerous with all her trappings and monsters, she is truly beautiful…

I soon come to the stream. Well more like a small river really. I kneel down by the banks of the clear brook and dip my hand in to test the water. I pull it back quickly, the water is freezing! I don't deliberate on the matter though, I am need in a bath horridly, I strip out of my garb, and then slowly I begin the tedious task of washing my blood and mud soaked clothing in the stream. A brown and red line soon forms in the water from my clothes as I risen them over and over again. Soon my garments are as washed as they can be and I lay them on the bank to air dry with the coming light. Soon I enter the water laying down so I am submerged under the water. At first the water stings from my many wounds from the past couple days of non stop beatings I have received. Soon though, the temperature around me forces my skin to go numb.

I raise my head out of the water to catch my breath again. Once my lungs are full of air yet again I submerge once more and begin running my hands through my hair vigorously rinsing it clean of the blood, grime, and sweat that has been on me for a couple of days now due to my being beaten upon so often. I bring my head above the water level once more and just float there staring up at the lightening sky as the sun begins to rise.

Allowing the water to wash over me and cleanse my body of the filth that has gathered on it I close my eyes and relax listening to the sounds of the native birds on Ragol. The light shining on my face suddenly becomes obscured and I open my eyes to see what has decided to fly above me and all I see is a big mass of red. "ACK!" I am staring up into Sato once again. "Gahh… When huff are you ever not going to give me a heart attack Sato!" I say to the Mag annoyance creeping into my voice. Sato just stares at me twitching its ears back and forth as if what I said has nothing of importance to it. "Wait… If you're here then that means…. Oh crap…." I quickly rush to the side of the stream that has my clothes grab them and jump behind the nearest rock. Sure enough just as I dive behind the rock I hear a voice humming to her self softly… "…Damnit can't I ever catch a break?" I ask the tree to my right, sadly it doesn't respond at all…

"Hello?" I remain silent after that hoping Cranberry will think it just the wind. I quickly begin putting my clothes on yet again. I begin to lift my shirt over my head to put the upper part of my suit on followed by my armor. Only I get a head of full of cold, river water poured on to me, "GOD DAMNIT THAT'S COLD!" I scream realizing all too late I shouldn't have done that… Birds screech and leave their perches from the trees. "Who is there?" I hear Cranberry scream and she doesn't sound happy at all… "Sato! Find out who ever that was!" Only one thought enters my mind after hearing those words "Oh shit…" I quickly put on the rest of my garb. The soaking clothes sending shivers through my body as I wait for Sato to find me. Sure enough she dose and then grabs my arm gauntlet once more and drags me by it out into the open. There I see Cranberry thoroughly ticked off at me… "You want to tell me why you were hiding behind that rock Colt?"

"So you didn't see me before I was able to get my clothes on… And also so I didn't walk in on you getting ready to bathe as well…" I wait my fate unsure of what is going to happen. She looks at me for a minute her eyes hard not believing what I said, until she peers at the top of my head still soaked from the water that poured out of my battle suit and on to me.

Her expression softens and soon a small smile breaks her face. "Hmm it appears your telling the truth after all tee hee." Relief washes through my body, "Sato let him go." I hear, I look towards Sato, she seems un-joyful to let go of my arm gauntlet for some reason… "Don't even think about eating it this time either." I caution the Mag. Sato release my arm gauntlet and bears' her white fangs in what I hope to be a grin of playfulness.

I turn and depart for the camp site once again now fully washed although soaked and cold… I enter the camp site and notice that everyone else has come awake. Alexis has gone and began talking with Mint under the tree that Sage and I had been under the night before, Mewone and Sage yet again are practicing their sword play. I look around for Samus and notice him staring off into the distance. At the tree line of our camp site. I turn my head to the right and notice Eriror, off looking down at his Zanba, I walk up to him and say hi "Oh… Hey, Colt." He replies not really paying much attention. Lost in his thoughts on some thing else, for once in my life I don't pry and walk away. Cranberry soon returns and then I call out to everyone. They all turn their heads towards me their eyes focusing on me as I begin. "As some of you know… I took a quest from the Hunter's Guild in hopes of finding information regarding my sister and what happened to her… It seems she may be tied to something… That will not be welcomed to many on board Pioneer 2 and may in fact…"

I stop and wait for their reactions each in turn. Samus ever calm looks towards me his visor glowing slightly as he processes the information and data that he already has on the situation. Mewone off in his own thoughts on the matter calm cool and collected. Sage, just staring at me waiting for me to continue already familiar with this part, Eriror, strapping his Zanba to his back and looking at me now with rapt attention that was devoid of his face moments ago. Alexis simply smiling in wonder at what could be going on. Cranberry in deep thought behind the clam collected brown eyes. And Mint, staring at me in puzzlement in trying to put the little pieces together that she has on the matter.

"I….Must find the truth to what she did… For this will prove something to me as well… What that is I can not say at the moment, for this I am sorry… I can not explain it to you until I am sure of something first…" I stop looking at them each in turn. All stare back, trust in their eyes… "What I ask of you now… Is to help me in this matter… To help me find out my sister's involvement in the Pioneer 1 project…. To help me uncover… My past…" I stop after that and walk past Samus out of the camp site to let them go over this and come to an answer…

I return soon and see them all gathered around the fire we once had going the night before. Small embers are all that remains of the once beautiful sight much like my hope for help from them has become small and barely burning. Sage is the first to stand. "We have each come to our own decision in the matter… Some of us have chosen to come along others… Were not as moved by your speech…" I wait to see what happens next… First Samus rises and stands by my left side staring off into the crowd. Next Sage and Cranberry rise as well and stand to the left as well. Then Mint rises and stands by my right and looks at me quickly smiles and stares back at the last three. Finally Mewone rises as well and joins Mint by my right side… Eriror and Alexis do not rise… Instead they stand and hold where they are… "…I am sorry Colt but… We feel what you said was not enough to move us to join you… Perhaps once this is over we can see it clearlier. Until then… Good Luck Hunters." Eriror says to me and then he and Alexis walk off into the distance, their figures soon gone from sight and their footsteps gone as well…

I lower my head to the ground and close my eyes, tears slightly forming from the trust I have gained from these people… My friends… "Thank you all… I promise to not betray your trust in me." My head rises and I stare off into the sky, Clouds moving slowly across it as if waiting to rain on us, "Heh, I told you people flock to you. Oh well it matters not how many come or how many go it will all be the same in the end… It will only be me and you. Heh." I cringe and whisper to myself, pure hatred in my voice, "No… It won't be." I return my head to a normal pose and look straight ahead of me, ahead towards my future and my past. I turn to my friends now, and look at them all individually. "Our next step is to get into the mines of Ragol. This may sound easy but the last time we were all up there…" I look towards Cran, Sage, Mew, And Samus, Mint stares at me and them confused. Mewone just chuckles lightly to himself. "Yeah… We kind destroyed the front door to the Hunter's Guild on our last visit."

"Either way we still need to get back on Pioneer 2. It's the more dangerous of the two options but it's also the quickest and I don't see another option at this point." They all look at me and nod in accordance. We decide to wait until once again the curfew is in effect. During this time we pack our gear and sort out weapons we are bring along. Mostly though we just wait, anxious unable to say much to the others as we check and re-check our gear. Mint, also heads to the river to bathe, Cranberry sends Sato along with her still not fully trusting of my answer from this morning. They return soon and Mewone and Sage go off next. Sage soon returns look refreshed and relaxed. Mew takes a little longer but soon comes back with something in his hand, he throws it to me and I catch it. "…Why did you throw me another Photon Drop?" I ask him utter confusion rising up in me. "Well It was the only thing those damned Rappies gave me after I fried them up.

I stare at him wondering if the Rappies actually tasted well… Either way I grin and put the Photon Drop in my catch for items on my battle suit. Night falls and we gather up what we have and wait just a little longer. Sage then activates a Telepipe and we head up to Pioneer 2. I arrive first out of the Telepipe, the city is dark, cold unmoving for a ship containing almost all of Coral's inhabitants, it seems dead and forgotten now. We begin to head for the teleporter that will bring us down to the mines of Ragol. "Halt! Who goes there! No Hunter is allowed teleportation uses after curfew!" I stare and turn at the man, a soldier, one of the few on Pioneer 2, most of Coral's army was sent with Pioneer 1 just incase of unfriendly, natives…. Apparently they weren't enough… "I will ask one more time! Who goes there! If you do not comply I will be forced to fire." I don't turn towards him I just keep walking ahead of everyone else my goal in sight, I hear his photon rifle power to release a photon shell at me I move down and to the right it sizzles past my left shoulder, the heat coming off it so much I feel it upon my face as if I have been burned. I look towards its direction; I see it melt right through the thick metal doors guarding the telepoter. I move to ready myself for another shot at me but it never comes. The lone guard is knocked out, to the ground by the massive metallic fist of Samus. I stare at him and then at the soldier, "You sure you didn't crack his skull or anything Samus?" I ask a little uneasy at the thought of this soldier dying just because I wasn't able to knock him unconscious instead.

"Bio-signs are all in green, no internal or external harm beyond natural human healing processes." I just shake my head as Mewone and Sage step ahead of me to look at the teleporter. "Damnit… Colt get over here, this isn't good." I hear Sage say, my face turns pale at that I quickly sprint over to them, my heart in my throat as too what could already be going wrong and then I see it… The photon bullet that the soldier fired earlier ripped right through the metal door as if it were a hot knife through butter and its trajectory lead it right into the control console for the teleporter. I cringe and turn away from the site; Cranberry and Mint soon join Sage around the destroyed console… "…. I think we can still make it function." I hear Cranberry say, Relief swells in me as I turn to Cranberry and Sage, and both nod their heads and begin to work. Samus takes a defensive pose outside the doors with his Guilty light locked and ready to fire its massive photon shell at the first person to present a hindrance to us.

"Halt! What's going on? Who is there! Backer? Where is Backer!" I hear another soldier's voice come into my hearing soon followed by many other voices as well. I turn and poke my head outside. "Who goes there! Answer or we will open fire!" I look back over my shoulder and ask Cran and Sage if it's ready "Men! Take aim!" "No… Well yes it is but I don't know where we will be dropped, we could end up in the mines or in the Caves of Ragol as well…" Sage replies to me…. "We don't have time let's do it! Samus lets go!" I scream to the RAcast. "FIRE!" I hear the general scream to his men, a hail of photon bullets slam into the wall section Samus was just at, and at least twenty holes pierce clean through the wall as if it were paper. Mint, Sage and Cranberry have already disappeared into the teleporter to who knows where, Mewone is the only one remaining providing cover fire for me and Samus as we rush in, a constant stream of fire hails from his H&S25 Justice. Samus jumps in the telepoter before he does though I have him set a trap right above the Console of the teleporter then Mewone and I follow suit and disappear into the teleporter.

I soon materialize out of the teleportation and land hard on my back side. "Oww…" I stand up wincing a little from the rough landing, "Heh well I did tell you I wasn't sure where we were going to land." Sage chuckles slightly to himself as I turn to him and see Samus, Cranberry, and Mint laugh slightly as well. I soon catch Mewone Materialize out of the corner of my eye and see him land on his feet gracefully as if it were a normal thing for him. "…Hmm I give him an eight for that landing." "…..Computing…. Seven point five…." "Sato what do you think?" Sato just grins and then proceeds to make a figure eight in the air. Mint simply laughs at this and then says. "I give Mew a five…. Simply because Colt falling on his ass was too funny!" Mint then bursts into an un-checked fit of laughter for a bit. While I just hang my head and laugh slightly to myself. "Hmmm Sato what do you give Colt?" Sato stares at me and then steals my arm gauntlet once again. "Hey! Give that ba-…ck" Too late she has already swallowed it once again. "…. Damn you…."

"Sage where are we anyways?" I ask the FOmar now unsure of exactly where we are. "…Well I believe we are in the caves I believe we are close to the teleporter to the mines though it shouldn't be a far walk ten, twenty minutes at most." We begin walking slow and quite at first. Nothing breaks the silence, just the random drip of water from the ceiling to the ground echoes throughout the cave's silence as we continue on our way. Samus' loud clank, clank of his metal boots add to the already sickening feeling in my stomach that we are not alone.

Suddenly I hear a mangled scream of sort and look to my right, where Cranberry was standing. She has jumped back and brought out her Windmill. In place of where she was stands a Pan-Arm, not appearing rather happy either that it was awoken from its sleep. "Crud we just had to meet something didn't we?" I go to grab for my Chain Sawd but remember that since Sato ate my arm gauntlet yet again I can't access it! Samus begins to fire at it with his Guilty Light yet it seems to do nothing but infuriate the beast even more. "Wait! Techs only hurt it let us deal with this." Sage, Mewone, and Cranberry step forth to deal with the atrocity, they each cast a powerful round of Grants at the beast. Arrows of light slam through the beast ripping and tearing flesh and blood from its body and yet it seems to do little good to kill or quell its anger and aggression instead it only seems to heighten it once again.

"Hit it again!" I hear Mewone scream this time he fires, a large purple orb… The death curse… Megid. It travels at a blistering pace approaching the Pan-Arm at a ferocious speed, just as it reaches the beast it splits in two! "Damn these fowl things!" Mewone screams in rage. Pan-Arm is not just one creature but two fused together to form one. These grotesque abominations can then fuse and de-fuse from it to form these two other living and highly capable fighting machines.

Hidoom and Migium there only difference being their colors. Hidoom being brown and Migium being purple, the twp howl in anger and charge. Samus hunkers down into a firing position and let's loose a flurry of photon shells at the advancing pair. One misses both while the last two connect one with the Migium and the other with the Hidoom. Mint then charges forward with her heart of Poumn, on her right hand. She slashes it across the Migium slice its chest too ribbons with her finely crafted blade. The Migium goes down, with a low heartfelt screech. Normally the Hidoom after losing its other half would normally not be able to go on…. But this one is different, instead of mourning for its lost comrade it charges towards me, rage showing in its manner and eyes as it screeches. Samus fires another round of photon shells from his Guilty light at the beast, but they do little to halt or even slow its advance on me.

The beast charges consumed with hate and rage for the death of its fellow. It's within striking distance of me; it lunges for me with its arm blade. I roll to the right evading the blade as it whips above me head, the Hidoom screeches in fury at me for evading its attack. It strikes again this time towards my legs. I jump backwards, landing on my feet and then crouching with my right hand on the ground ready to run at a moments notice for fear of it lunging at me again.

The others continue their attacks on the beast, flesh and blood flow from the beast in torrents and fountains as all the attacks connect but it hardly seems to stop the beast so lost in its blood lust over its dead partner. It charges again sweeping from the left, its attacks reckless and no coordination in battle, again I dodge the swipe easily, the beast advances and lunges at me again, I duck and roll to the left. Although the beast is not truly fighting more then swinging widely in a rage of revenge the task begins to wear on me… Still not fully recovered from my last fight and my wounds begin to bother me once again… My ribs suddenly ache and I fall to my knee my left leg propped up. I look the beast is advancing rapidly upon me; I look to the right and left.

Nothing, I am trapped now! How could I have been foolish enough to let it run me into a corner. "Here! Quickly Colt!" I turn towards Samus as he throws me a pair of Gatling mechguns. I grab them in my hands and fire at the beast as it advances aiming for its head. The shots fly through the beast but seem to do nothing to stop it. I continue firing, the Gatling's begin to emit smoke from their muzzles as I continue to fire at the beast, It reaches me rears back on its legs and swipes at me!

I close my eyes and brace for the impact of the blade against my shoulder blade… It never comes, I open my eyes to discover its charred and hole filled corpse oozing green blood as it slowly slips into the ground… I breathe a sigh of relief, and then notice something by my feet. A red box has appeared where the beast was slain. I pick up the box to examine its contents.

I open it and discover a pair of Yamatos inside. I grip the blades handles. The photons within activate and pulse to life, I feel the cool energy emitting from them and work their way too my hands. My hands grow cold from the photons energy as the power builds and the blades resonate with one another. I twirl them around in my hands testing their weight and the feel of them in my palms. My eyes grow with appreciation for the new weapon I have acquired in place of my old Demo Comet. I then strap the two photon blades to my back, my battle suit keeping the photons active even without my hands on them.

I look towards them all now with the handles of the blades rising above my shoulders on either side. "Well… Sage, how much further?" I ask my mind going back to the more prominent situation at hand. "Ahh, yes well actually right through that door should take us to the mines if I am correct." I nod my head and walk towards them falling behind Mewone and Cranberry. The doors slide open and reveal a teleporter to the mines. Mewone and Cran step in first followed by Samus. I step in with Sage and Mint.

I come out of the teleporter this time with my feet on the ground first not my ass… I see Mewone, Samus and Cranberry waiting for us by the door. I step forward and through the doors saying "Well… let's go…" I step through the doors and walk towards the middle of the room and notice we are on a platform with elevator shafts to the left and right of us. I turn back to them all as they enter the room, suddenly they stop and draw their weapons and aim at me! "What the hell?" I scream at them anger and confusion welling in me. "Colt…. Turn around very, very slowly…" Mewone says to me his eyes trained on something past me. I turn very slowly and suddenly notice something a noise, as if it was a type of machinery whining…. "Ahh crap…" I say as I recognize the sound instantly from my memory of being here before. A Baranz, suddenly I hear two more sounds, "You… Have… Got… To be kidding me!" I scream at the now three Baranz. I look on in disbelief one is hard enough on its own to handle with its layers upon layers of armor, its mere size alone is an issue for most so they don't get squashed as it moves about, then you have to worry about its heat seeking missiles…

All three of the goliaths suddenly shutter and place support legs in place on the ground with a groan. "…Why oh why is it always me?" I ask no one in particular as I suddenly blot to the right as I hear the three Baranz release their barrage of missiles simultaneously at me. I run to the right of the room and suddenly stop… I am looking down one of the elevator shafts… I see the missiles coming towards me. I duck to the left and continue running straight back to the behemoths as they prepare another volley at me. The others have started their assault on the beasts with a flurry of photon shots and blades at the machines. I run towards the beasts and then suddenly go around them and too the left. I hear the explosion ensue as their own missiles collide with themselves. You see the one problem with them is they can't turn on a dime at all.

"Colt! Look out!" I turn just in time to see one of the missiles collide with the floor twenty feet behind me; the explosion sends me backwards fifty feet. I land on my stomach and slide across the floor. I suddenly feel nothing under me and then I latch on to the ledge as I fall down the elevator shaft. My hand grips on to the ledge like iron. I hear foot steps and something more coming towards me. I look up in time to see the dust from the ensuing explosion land right in my face. I shield my eyes with my free hand and then shake my head a little not daring to move any more for fear of losing my already slipping grip. "Colt, grab on quickly!" I turn and look to see Mint hanging over the ledge offering me her hand. I go to grab it then stop…I am not latching on to the ledge at all, in fact I am below the ledge and she is hanging over it just to reach me, I still hear foot steps coming but they are far off and probably wont be of much help.

"Mint listen get back up on the ledge now. You can't pull me up on your own and I won't risk sending you or anyone else down here with me if I fall. So get back!" She looks at me and then yells at me in response. "No! Don't tell me what I can and can not do! Now grab on to my hand before we loose you!" I don't and I just dangle my grip slowly loosening on the ledge. I pear down towards the bottom of the shaft hoping that I at least will land on something semi soft when I fall. I look back towards Mint, I see a tear welling in her eye, "Colt just grab on… Please?" I shake my head side to side and then my hand slips… I begin to fall then suddenly Mints hand shoots out and grabs my wrist. "What are you doing! I told you to get back!" I scream at her concern now rising in me as my fear begins to take over as well. I stop falling but then slowly she begins to slide across the floor…. "Ah… Damnit!" I hear some one above us say as I hear a body slam against the floor. Suddenly we stop sliding again for a little while, "Hold on I got you…" I think we have finally stopped and breathe a sigh of relief once again. Then we begin to slide once more…. "Ummm… Maybe I don't… Oh, crud…" We begin sliding again and this time nothing else stops us as well fall off the edge. I fall through the darkness and then land on something… Soon enough though a body lands on me and I black out…

I soon awaken again to constricted breathing and a groaning and movement on me. "I suggest you don't wake her she seems quite comfortable there Colt, Heh personally I think she likes you…" I groan to the lousy humor that Sage has thrown forth from my current situation. "I would… but one prob…lem… I can't breathe!" Sage looks at me and then laughs again. I just roll my eyes and gently shake Mint. "Uh… Oww… Where am I and why am I on something soft?" I look at her and roll my eyes yet again… "That's because you're on me." She turns and is suddenly looking at me square in the eyes "Why hello Mint, would mind getting off me now? You're crushing my lungs." She looks at me confused then shocked, stands up right on my chest, which knocks what little air I head left in me out and then hops off.

"Thank you!" I say breathlessly and soon begin to inhale air at an enormous rate trying to regain my breathing to a normal pace. My breathing slowly returns to normal as Sage's fits of laughter die down, I finally have a chance to look at our surroundings, The room is darkened but is lit by small neon lights scattered around the floor and wall, I stare back up at were we fell and see we have fallen a good thirty feet. I wonder why I have not broken anything and soon discover I landed on a box and that's what cushioned my fall but left me in pain.

"Helloooo! Anyone alive down there!" I hear Cranberry scream into the hole I look up, seeing her huge red ribbon bobbing back and forth on her head as she scans what little of the bottom she can make out from her height. "….Scanning for bio signs…. All three are alive and well at the bottom although Colt's skin heat seems to be rising and he seems flushed about something…." I curse Samus for being an android and having night vision, heat sensors and bio monitors all installed in his visor. "Well they could at least answer back." I hear Cran say a little pouting in her voice, "Yeah I am sure they want to do that and risk another mauling by Sato Cran…" I hear Mewone say, a small laugh coming from him after he says this.

"…Why would Sato maul us this time…?" I ask concern and fear rising in my voice at the thought of Sato suddenly appearing behind us bearing its fangs in an un-playful manner… "…No reason…" Cranberry says in a sing-song voice that instead of calming my nerves just makes them grow and multiply. "Hey since everyone is alive and well you three sit tight we are going to try and find another way down to you guys all right?" "Sure that would be great, just as long as we don't get attacked by something that is…" I reply to Mewone a small smile curling upon my lips.

I hear their foot steps slowly fade away as they begin the search to find another route to us. "Well we better get comfortable its going to be a long wait you two." Sage says to us as he takes a seat from where he was standing. Mint sits as well, I am the only one to remain standing and walk around trying to get a better perspective of where we are. I soon come to a door at one end of the room and look back with the limited light in the room… I notice the room is not very big, maybe 50 by 40 at most. The door ahead of me is also the only way in or out of the room and it is locked from the other side of the hall as well…

I turn back and head towards the other two who are engaged in conversation. As I approach I lean against a wall behind Mint and to the right of her over hearing their conversation. "So Mint why did you become a hunter?" Sage asks her, curiosity shows in his eyes. "Oh, that easy, I just felt like it, and besides I love adventure. How about you Sage?" He looks at her and smiles, "Well to tell you honestly I don't really know why… It just seemed like my calling I guess… How about you Colt? Why did you become a Hunter?"

I stare at them wondering if I should tell them what I could really be… Or what these supposed fake memories of mine tell me… I am unsure of how to answer this… I stare off into space for a moment hoping they will move on with the conversation after I decide not to answer… I look back and see it didn't work… They stare at me intent on getting an answer from me… I decide to go with the memories I hold locked away that could be fake…

"Heh go on Hunter. Tell them for now I am interested as well in what you hold for memories that even I can't access…" "Where to begin…" I say looking towards the light of the opening that we fell through… "I guess it started back on Coral before Pioneer 2 left… This was about two months before it left. My family, my mother, father and younger sister." "Wait… You have a younger sister as well?" Mint asks sounding shocked Sage also turns his head in slight curiosity as well at this development. "Yes I do… Serene is not my full sister, but a half sister, the younger one, Jordan is my full sister… Anyways, my family life is not one of glamour or love… My mother was always there for me or my younger sister always supporting us and telling us we can do what we set our minds too… My father… On the other hand was a lousy drunk… Who never cared about anything except where his next booze rush came from... My little sister although I loved her never made my life any easier either… She was constantly nagging at me, bitching at me to have things done her way all the time never giving me a moment's peace when I needed to be alone at times…" I stop and look at their faces seeing what they have absorbed so far… Both a silent and intent and listening to the rest of the story I have to tell. I begin again…

"My father is a small reason I decide to be a Hunter… I wanted to be away from him and not have anything to do with him, he made my life a living hell always pushing my buttons hoping for me to explode or just trying to get a rise out of me just because he could… So I left… Never looking back upon my decision. I hope that he is dead now, I haven't heard a word from my family yet so I don't know…"

"The main factor in me deciding to become a Hunter was to set forth on this new world among the first, to get away from it all and see my older sister, and hopefully make new friends. Sadly though we did not leave for another two months on Pioneer 2. Those days… Were nightmares as the day of leave for me approached…

"Well I eventually left on Pioneer 2 and began living on my own learning the trades of being a Hunter, passing the exams and such… We then came to Ragol and that fateful day…" I stop as I hear the door open slowly I see Cranberry, Mewone and Samus come running in, Sweat gleaming off of Cran and Mew having apparently fought long hard and fast to reach us in a timely manner. Samus appears normal holding his Guilty light as if it were a feather to him…

Sage and Mint remain silent as the others enter and walk towards us slowly; finally glad they found us… I look towards the light once again and say to Mint and Sage… "That is why I hate the mines… They are so dark and cold… Just like my life.." I turn and look at my feet… I hear them both rise and walk towards me.

I feel two arms envelope me I look up and see the face of Mint hugging me as she comes just below my chin, "Colt… You're not alone anymore… You… Have us… Your new family…" She then rests her head against my chest as I hold her there, with my right arm around her waist, Sage then walks up to me and puts his hand on my right shoulder. I look into his half moon spectacles as his eyes shine; he simply nods his head in agreement with Mint a small tender smile upon his face, "she is right you know… You are not alone… You have us now." I place my left arm on his left shoulder and say "Thank you…. Thank you both…" With that a tear of happiness escapes my eye as I close them and the other three soon join beside us wondering exactly what happened here… "…Did we miss something?" I hear Mewone whisper to Samus… "Error…Does not compute, does not compute… What are you blind Mewone?" I laugh as Samus replies to him. Cranberry looks at Mewone and says, "Hmmm I wonder how Sato would like the taste of Mewone?" I hear nothing from Mewone but turn my head and see him shaking his, "Don't even try it Cran… Don't even try it…" I soon release both Mint and Sage and turn to the others… "Well did you guys find anything useful on your fight this way…?" Sadly none of them respond.

I simply smile and shake my head. "Well then? What are we waiting for lets go!"


	10. The Truth is Never Easy

**Chapter Ten**

**_The Truth Is Never Easy_**

We begin, our feet the only thing sound within the hollowed and abandon walls of the mines. I begin to notice the piles of old and rusted down machinery all around us. Computers, machinery old droids, and Cast models all lay on the ground, rusted, broken, or badly damaged. Small sounds of electric shorts and groans of old machinery churning is all that disturbs this empty and lifeless place.

I move a little ahead of the group and to the right. They continue on by as I stop to look at an old model robot, a Gillchich I believe is what it was called. They have not been seen or used since Pioneer 1 left for Ragol. I stare at the lifeless visor now, wondering what it was doing down here, these were mostly service robots and droids. "Colt? What are you looking at?" Sage approaches me and kneels down with me as well staring at the dust covered Gillchich. "Oh, nothing I am just wondering if it was still active that's all." Sage looks at the machine taps its metal head a few times, not getting an angry response from it he smiles and then states "I doubt this one has been active in the last couple of years, this one seems to be long gone… We should move on before we are left behind." ".. Yes of course."

I rise and head towards the door, I hear a sudden sound, a whirring of metal parts starting up, a small motor coming to life and… A laser charging? I turn around and see the once inactive Gillchich up, mainframe running at blistering speed and aiming its deadly laser at me. The bolt of energy lances through the air, I do not have time to dodge and the bolt slams right into my left shoulder knocking me down and across the floor. I slide to stop and stand gripping my shoulder where the laser struck. I carefully lift my hand and discover my armor has melted right off the shoulder, my shoulder, now burned badly the pain begins to flare up in it. I cast Resta upon the wound and it heals, sending a cooling sensation through my skin to ease the burn.

I stare at the Gillchich as it charges up its laser attack again, I crouch down ready to dodge or duck out of its aim. A small tink is heard, the Gillchich moves toward the noise and then suddenly, its head falls off exposing its internal assembly of wires and circuits. Its body crashes to the ground where upon sparks shower from the neck. I turn and notice Samus standing within the door way. A small Custom Ray trained on the sparking body of the Gillchich. the others are moving along…" I rise and walk out the door way, I stare back at the Gillchich and wonder, if there are any more surprises I will encounter here…

Minor note, I am going to try this in third person now for the rest of this chapter as a test. If you the readers prefer it this way then tell me and the rest will be in third person as well. If not I will switch back to my original form, or if you want a mix of the two please tell me. Thanks.

The group soon reunites. They begin to wander the mines returning from the way Cranberry Samus and Mewone fought to reach the other three. Colt, peering over his shoulder constantly is uneasy about the encounters with the thought deactivate Gillchich. Mint turns to Colt, looking at him and asks, "Colt? What's up you seem…? Uneasy…" "Huh? Oh… It's nothing…" Colt says, his eyes telling a different story to the others. Colt continues to wonder why the Gillchich would suddenly react the way it did… It just didn't seem right. How could it reactivate on its own…? Its not like the machine had come in contact with an active power source at the time either, it had just suddenly come to life after he had turned from it, as if on a command…

Colt's head suddenly snaps up in realization, turning his back on the group he draws a Red Handgun from his belt, a gift from a friend. Cranberry is the first to hear Colt holster the weapon; she turns to him confused and asks "Colt? What is it? Why do you have your weapon out…?" The others slowly stop and turn to stare at Colt, his eyes still trained on the darkness, concentrating with his ears more then his eyes to determine if he is right.

"Sage, you remember that Gillchich a couple rooms back?" Sage looks at Colt puzzled why he would ask such a question, he hesitates in his answer unsure of its merit. "Sage! Do you remember!" Colt asks again, haste and worry in his voice now, Sage unsure for the sudden fear and anxiety in Colt's voice responds, "Yes, I remember the deactivated one." Colt slowly turns his eyes towards the small group, away from the darkness yet his hearing remains keen to it.

"Don't you find it a bit odd and un-nerving that once our backs were turned that it would some how, magically, was able to re-activate it self and attack us?" Sage looks upon Colt still unsure of where this is going and slowly answers, "No… Not truly, yes it is strange that this would occur but it could have for a number of reasons…" Colt still keeping his eyes on the group says, "Some of those reasons would be…" "Well some would be that we accidentally started it when we touched it although that is highly improbable another would be that we cast a Zonde type tech upon it but I saw neither of us do that… The only other rational explanation would be that… Oh no…"

Sage suddenly comes to the realization that Colt has… That wasn't a Gillchich at all… It was a Dubchich, an enhanced version of the Gillchich, one that can be activated upon whim, one that also can not be destroyed until you destroy its hub, its controlling unit… Only problem is that it remains hidden and Dubchichs are never, never alone…

Suddenly the clinking of metal and grinding of gears is heard from the darkness, Colt's eyes snap back to the dim hallway, he aims carefully and pulls the trigger to his Red Handgun, a green photon bullet streaks from the muzzle to the darkness, the bullet disappears, a sound of photon and metal colliding is heard, soon followed by the sound of a metal shell crashing to the floor.

Just as soon as the body falls though a groaning is heard, one of electricity and metal parts being dragged across the ground. Soon the single sound of one machine is joined by a symphony of others all moving towards us… Samus draws his Custom Ray once again takes aim and begins to pick them off one by one with no wasted shots. His steady aim precise in its execution, even if he was built for this it is still not hard to admire the power and precision exuded by him.

Mewone and Sage both draw mechs from their belts and open fire on the darkness… Unlike Samus with his precision shots Mew and Sage are rather more reckeless with their aim… Firing in the general direction of the sound rather then waiting and trying to decipher where they could be in the darkness. Mint Draws, a Diska of the Braveman, a throwing blade type weapon, she waits for a Dubchich to appear from the darkness, when first sighted she slings a blade at it, the photonic blade screeches through the air with a distinctive whistle as it crashes through the Dubchich and into another.

Cranberry stand behinds the rest of them, she slowly closes her eyes and begins to concentrate; she soon gets into a casting position and in-powers the group of a fresh does of Deband and Shifta. The energies pulse through their bodies giving them new found strength and making their attacks and defenses stronger then before.

Colt slowly squeezes the trigger of his Red Handgun into the darkness trying to decipher from where they will appear next, although he is more accurate in this then Mewone or Sage, his shots are not as precise or deadly as Samus's are. Slowly though, the Dubchichs begin to break through the barge of bullets, blades and techniques cast upon them. Colt cursing to himself, "Damn… this isn't going to work… They just keep coming and reforming as soon as they are brought down, everyone is growing tired, Cran must be close to exhaustion right now, I haven't seen a FOnweral, much less any force continually cast techs as often nor as fast as she is doing. We have to end this now or they will just win us over with pure numbers…"

Colt slowly turns to Cran, the furthest from the fight and the most drained mentally and physically. Cranberry, slowly begins to waver in casting stances, the pure mental pressure from casting so many techniques in such a short span of time has nearly wiped out her technique energy to its breaking point. Sweat has plastered her black bangs to her face, her neat and cheerful ponytail has lost its bounce, its now loosely held together by the red bow in her hair.

She turns to Colt wondering why he has stopped firing he begins to walk towards her slowly, as if thinking of something to ask of her something. Colt begins to walk towards Cran an idea in his head, the controlling unit must be close by to control such a large number of Dubchichs and be able to reform them so quickly that it seems like an endless wave of them. He goes behind Cran and very quietly and slowly to her says, "Do you think you could light up this whole room for us? I have an idea but I cant see a thing, the low lights are not helping, I need just an instant of light, I know you tired and nearly drained but could you please just light up the room for us, all I need is one second…"

Cran looks at him puzzled, and then it clicks to her, she smiles and replies, "One light show coming up Colt…" She now shifts into a different stance, she begins to concentrate and chant. The air around Cranberry begins to heat up, the temperature spikes in the immediate vicinity of her, suddenly her eyes snap open and in the middle of the chaotic maelstrom of photon bullets and blades a huge explosion occurs.

With a sudden compression of oxygen in the room lit with a mental spark, a heat spike surges through the room, metal plating on the Dubchichs begins to bend and melt with the intense heat brought on be Cranberry's Rafoie Technique. The room suddenly aflame with light and heat, Colt shields his eyes for a brief moment from the sudden heat but removes his hand to scan room, soon he spies what he is looking for, the controlling unit of the Dubchichs. It sits just above the entrance door, hovering, sending out its small signals of kill and destroy to the mindless drones below.

The light suddenly dissipates along with the intense heat; Cran collapses into an outstretched arm held up by Colt. He smiles at her saying softly, "Thank you Cranberry you have done your part now rest." Colt slowly raises his Red Handgun to where the intended target is; he looks back at the group. The sudden explosion and heat caught all of them off guard; they have all fallen to their feet and are slowly getting back up, their bodies drained and their minds exhausted; only Samus remains standing from the aftermath of the Rafoie tech. Unaffected by the mental or physical fatigues of a body of flesh.

Colt takes careful aim, although he saw the target, this still a shot in the dark He looks at the photon charger on his Red Handgun, three shots left before it over heats and becomes useless for the next few hours while it cools and recharges… He aims and lets of the first shot; nothing is heard to confirm a hit. He fires again; silence is heard yet again… One shot left, he has to be on target with this shot or else they are done for, the Dubchichs know no bounds of mental fatigue, all they understand are the tiny electric signals sent by their controlling hub. The Red Handgun lets out a screeching wail, warning of its overheating and low photon power core.

One shot left, Colt raises the Red Handgun to eye level looks through the sight and fires, the green photon bullet lances through the air into the darkness and soon disappears… Nothing happens the Dubchichs keep coming, he has missed, the Red Handgun is out of power and over heated, Colt's arm gauntlet is still lodged in Sato's stomach un-enabling him to gain access to his Chain Sawd. Colt draws his Yamato intending to go down fighting, suddenly though the Dubchichs stop. Their visors red in a menacing sickly glow begin to dim and die away. Soon they lose all color in them, their metal frames slump and then crash to the floor in a resounding metallic bang one after the other.

Mewone, Sage and Mint all slowly rise in disbelief; they turn to Colt still aiming his Red Handgun at the darkness. He slowly lowers the weapon and holsters it to his belt. He stares at the others now, relief shows in their tired and warn faces, sweat stems from every pore on their visible bodies.

Sage's neat and cropped short ponytail is now in shambles, his hair let down reaching about shoulder length. His half spectacle glasses lopsided upon his nose now, begin to slip once more from the sweat that has been flowing freely. His once crisp brown robe is now stained with oil at the end by his feet from a Dubchich that came to close.

Mewone's bandana once tied tightly to his head has now become lose and lax, his hair once in neat and trim spikes of gray have now lost some of their sharpness and have begun to droop. His light blue robe has now become darker with perspiration and the after effects of the Rafoie technique effectively singeing it.

Mint is the worse for wear in appearances; her black hair once combed neatly is now in shambles, her bangs sticking to the front of head from the sweat that has appeared. She slowly brush them out of her dark brown eyes to only have fall back in almost the exact same spot.

Samus soon turns to the rest of them. His once bright orange and green paint scheme now blackened and charred, numerous impact sites of the laser charges line his body as well as the charring effects of Cranberry's Rafoie technique are present upon his body. Being the closest to the chaotic maelstrom had its benefits and draw backs. Although his metal skin did not corrode or bend and melt like the Dubchichs, it lost most of its former glory. A now darkened shade of its former self, though the small white emblem upon his top right breast remains as brilliant as it ever was.

Mint soon begins to swoon and sway upon her legs, the effects of battle on her body and mind taking their toll upon her swiftly now that the adrenaline pumping through her veins has ceased. Colt walks slowly over to her, while shifting the unconscious Cranberry in his arms to have her own small arms draped around his neck so he seems to be carrying a small child within his arms. Before she falls Colt places Mints arm around his right shoulder and lets her lean on him for support, she looks up at him relived and mouths thank you to him, tired and near exhaustion she only has the energy now to put one foot in front of the other.

Sage and Mewone place an arm around each others shoulders, though it is clear neither can support the other well enough for them to both move foreword. Samus walks in between the two and drapes their arms over his metallic shoulders; he turns to both and nods his head, as if to give them a reassuring smile. Sage and Mewone grin at him and they all begin to move foreword slowly. Colt, soon turns as well with his two charges in arm and hand and walks on down the hall as well, leaving behind them the scraps of Dubchich that are once again lifeless.

"…. Curse those mechanical atrocities, even in optimum working order and with superior numbers and surprise they were still too weak to defeat them…" Achrion spats to himself, disgusted that he was built by the same hands as those things, now wasted life-less shells littered upon the ground. "Worthless piles of scrap…" Achrion slowly descends from the ceiling, his slender and sleek HUcast body barley making a sound as he lands, only the small cloud of dust that has risen from his feet signals he is there. His green paint scheme glimmers in the low neon lights of the mine's halls. His bright white emblem blazes with intensity, "Heh, so he is here as well… Echon… The teacher…" His arm gauntlet vibrates suddenly; he flips open the display case. An image projects from the gauntlet and a man's face appears.

A FOmar, his hair slicked back into spikes facing away from his face, a bright red bandana keeping his bangs out of his blazing red eyes. "Achrion report…" The man speaks slowly, drawing out his words, as if he already knows the answer to the question asked. Achrion regards the man with his yellow electronic eyes for an instant. As if testing to see if it truly is who it appears to be.

"… It was just as you predicted, Sojorian. He has improved greatly since his years as a child. Even when I fought him last he showed signs of progression beyond our expectations… Athanos has awakened as well…" Sojorian runs a black gloved hand through his hair, wondering how far the young vessel has truly progressed in his abilities and worth… "What do you make of him Achrion? Is he within grasp to his true capabilities? Does he even know the truth yet…? Heh doubtful I am sure." He runs his hand through his hair again slightly chuckling to himself. Achrion replies in a cold metallic laugh, "Heh Sojorian don't make me laugh, He is no where near his true capabilities, the seeds of doubt have been planted in his mind though, soon enough he will know the truth… The truth of what he is."

Sojorian ponders for a moment, wondering which would be more fun to him. To let his victim find out the truth fully, or watch him squirm with half answers, then discover the truth on his own, once brought before him. "Heh very well, Achrion, make sure he finds the console that holds his answers, yet do not let him read all the truth… Let him find out that he does in fact have family, but do not let him know anything about them. Heh let his mind holler in pain with the questions of where his mother is… I await the show Achrion."

"Haha, very well Sojorian, Achrion out…" Sojorian switches his arm gauntlet off, rising from his chair he turns and walks out his office doors. He enters into a dimly lit hallway. Continuing on down the hall, flights of stairs, to more halls and doors, his mind ponders. "Damn… This vessel is becoming more and more of a nuisance then a key to our goals… He must be dealt with… Brought under control, his spirit must be broken… Then, we can truly begin what we started… Seventeen long years ago… It will truly be over soon… Heh I will truly be a god soon… Haha."

Sojorian turns down a corridor and enters another doorway. He stands before the door, a retina scan begins, he then swipes his key card and the door unlocks and slides slowly with an electronic groan out of the way. It leads to a dimly lit hall with an end, upon either side of this hall lay cells. Bars made if pure photons and electricity barricade the cells. Their slow electronic vibration the only sign they are still working. He walks down the hall his foot steps the only things penetrating this soundless hallway. Sojorian comes upon the last cell and turns to peer inside it, a young RAcaseal dressed in black and orange, sits in the cells back corner, clutching to a small purple ring. She holds it to her chest; a small tear goes down her cheek from her piercing blue eyes and falls upon the small ring.

"Why so sad, your son is going to be joining you shortly. Heh, my plans are all coming together. To think I will finally achieve my ideal I have strived so long for!" A small fit of insane laughter grips Sojorian. The young RAcaseal simply stares up at him for a moment then stares down at the purple ring once again. Another tear is shed upon it, her eyes showing mixed emotions, excitement, happiness, sadness and anguish. She speaks softly to the ring, "… He is alive. I knew he would be, he was so determined when he was young… I just wish I could see him again, just one more time, just once… Yet, I can't, He can not be taken here again… If he does he will die… Oh Colt… Please, remain safe, please just leave your foolish quest and go back to Pioneer 2…"

"Hehe, oh I doubt he will do that, besides you know my powers spread to all of Pioneer 2, he isn't safe anywhere on this planet. I will get what I want in the end, weather he complies or not. Achrion is merciless in his pursuits; you know that all too well. He enjoys the feel of blood on his sword, Heh. It will be an interesting show when he encounters your son again. I just hope he doesn't have to kill him before we can extract the soul from him… Although, either way I will still be a god when this is over, and all aboard Pioneer 2 will bow to me or die!"

Another fit of insane laughter grips Sojorian as he walks away and exits the hall. His laughter echoing off the walls until it fades away and leaves the young RAcaseal alone to her thoughts in the darkness again. She slowly raises the purple to her chest and holds it tight. "… Colt, my son… Please be safe… Please…" She then begins to weep and her low sobs are all that penetrate the darkness…

Colt turns his head up from the floor once again, the halls seems to stretch on forever to his battle weary mind. Unable to stop though, he is close he can feel it now. His answers are within his grasp now. Mewone looks forward, "The path splits up ahead… Should we split up?" Colt ponders this for a moment, Cranberry is still asleep in his arms, Mint is no condition to fight right at the moment, turning to Samus Colt asks, "Samus what do you suggest?" Samus goes quite for a second, judging the options and running the scenarios through his head… "… Our best option is to split up… Power will be decreased but enemy encounter rate is at a minimum, within this area, safety is 96 guaranteed."

"…Very well, you heard him, let's split up, everyone keep your guard up as best as you can, Sage, Mewone, you two stick with Samus. Head to the right fork, I am going down the left. Meet back here in five hours, agreed?" They all nod their heads, Samus, Sage and Mewone begin their trek down the dimly lit right hallway, Colt waits until even the echo of Samus' foot steps die out and he is left alone only to hear the breathing of his two companions. He looks down at Mint, she is tired but ready to press on, and she looks up at him and nods. "Alright then… Let's go you two."

They begin the long slow trek down the left hallway, never noticing the green HUcast behind them, his foot steps soundless in the mines. "Heh, good choice young vessel, soon all will be clear…. Well not all… Hahaha…" Achrion follows Colt, Mint and Cranberry down the halls, his passing only marked by the disturbed dust behind him; even then it is as if he was never there…

Cranberry remains asleep in Colt's arms, like a small child. Her red bow loosely tied to her hair now, the pony tail has all but fallen out, her bangs once matted to her forehead by sweat slowly begin to part. Mint has regained some strength and is now walking on her own. Colt having a free arm uses it to readjust Cranberry's arms to make the effort of carrying her easier on him. Continuing down the hall they soon come to a door…

"Hmm this is odd…" Colt replies, he slowly goes to touch the door as if drawn to it. The door reacts to him and slowly parts. A computer terminal is inside, still operational by the looks as well. Colt moves forward and begins to type with one hand hoping for it to be here. He searches for the name Serena in the database… Two hits are found, the first is a basic diary. He skips over that and goes to the other, a combination of notes and a diary. He opens the file and begins reading…

Today the vessel is nearing completion… After many tries and failures we were finally able to do it. We have created Human life.

The young vessel has awakened and been left in the care of a young-- .

Suddenly a photon bullet lances through the air and smashes through the computer console. The screen flickers and then dies, losing all files with it as well. Colt whirls and sees the green HUcast, a Raygun pointed at the computer terminal…

"Long time no see young vessel…"


	11. Memories are Lost But Never Forgotten

**Chapter Eleven**

_Memories are Lost… _**But Never Forgotten…**

"Long time no see young vessel." Achrion says to Colt. His metallic eyes give off a glitter of joy. "Will you come with me breathing, or would you rather not have that convenience when you meet her. Hehe…"

"Her… What do you mean by her!" Achrion stares at him again and laughs, that ever-insane mechanical laughter. "Oh what's this? Oh yes, that's right, you didn't get far enough in the data to see that did you. Ooops my bad. AHAHAH!" His metal wails of delight echo through out the mines reverberating back forth, seeming as if there are hundreds manifestations of himself.

"Well, well… I see the battle has started… Do put on a good show Colt…Cheers." Sojorian says, while lifting his glass of wine to the computer screen, ever-eager eyes to see just how far the young vessel has truly come. He stares now as Colt dodges the initial volley of fire from Achrion. "Heh, faster I see. A much improved muscle tension rate, memory and reflexes as well… So then, what do you think of our little experiment now doctor? Has he surpassed the final product or is he still just the prototype?" Sojorian slowly turns his attention to a woman standing behind him,

"Tch… He always has been and always will be the inferior in my eyes… He is human… Nothing can taint our research more so then that… I still do not understand why you allowed such a pathetic creation to live."

Sojorian merely smiles, his lips curving into a deathly cold grin, "Haha. So quaint and modest I see, as you might recall you are human Serena… Well mostly, haha." Sojorian takes another long, indulgent sip from his wine; he takes the glass and ever slowly rotates his wrist. The red ambrosia within spins and funnels into a vortex. His wrist slows and then stops the tornado dying ever slowly, "Thus will be Colt's life once we are through with him." A look of disgust crosses Sojorian's face, anger and hatred well in his eyes, loathing turns his smile into a menace of hate.

Taking the glass he hurls it across the room. It slams into a far wall shattering into thousand of simmering pieces. The small shards hover in the air catching the light of sun through the windows, twinkling like small tears as they fall. One by one they reach the floor and shatter again. The wine stains the floor, blood red in color. "Break his spirit as such when he comes." With that Sojorian dismiss Serena from his presence with a small wave of his hand. His eyes keened back to the battle at hand.

Serena disappears through the door into the dimly lit hall, dank with the smell of decay and water rot within the facilities closest to the surface. "Curse Sojorian and his concepts… We would have been better off with a Cast vessel instead… The soul still could have grown within untouched and untainted by the human soul." She walks through the halls, lights flickering as she travels showing the age of the upper halls and stairwells. She passes soldiers armed with various photon weapons, most carrying a Galduis, Raygun or some other weapon as such. Few are carrying rarer models such as a DB sword replica or Flowen's model as well.

As she passes the soldiers salute her, staring ever scared, as if they had seen a demon dressed in human garb. "As right they should be nervous around here" Serena thinks to herself. Sojorian's comment still clouding her thoughts "You are human too… Well mostly. Hahaha." Serena disregards the comment and focuses her mind where it is needed now more then ever as the final keys fall into place.

"To think after all these years… All these long years, it has finally awakened. Oh I can just taste the success of it now." She slowly licks her ruby lips savoring them as she does, a look of orgasmic bliss crosses her face and eyes as she visions the predictions, ideals, and final actualization of it all.

She soon regains her composure, Serena descends another flight of stairs, the walls however seem newer... Brighter with every flight she descends, it's as if the facility was built from the top down. At the end of the flight a door appears before her, it stands about 20 feet in height, and 11 feet in width. A small indentation pops out of the door right at her eye level, a small computer synthesized voice generates from speakers hollowed out of the doors top corners. "Please remove all eye wear and look directly into alcove."

"Why cant the voice ever be that of man?" Serena wonders slightly wetting her lips at the thought. She stares into the hollowed hole in the door, a small laser graces over her eyes for a brief second, two consoles appear at hand level as well after the retina scanned is confirmed for a match.

"Please place your right hand upon the right console and insert your ID card into the left." "Mmmhmm… You got it big boy." Serena states to the automated voice, knowing full well a soldier is watching the door via security cameras. She sultrily takes her key card from its hiding place. Take one guess where people… I will give you a cookie if you get it right She then places her right hand on the pad and her key card in the left console.

"Scanning… Match confirmed for Serena Legenda, Welcome back…" The voice states. The console under her palm disappears into the door, while the small indentation closes. The left console then discharges her key card out of itself, she grabs the key card and replaces it back to its oh so warm nest, She then looks towards the camera, gives a mock innocent smile as if she didn't know it was there, winks towards it with her cyan eyes and then flicks short blonde hair towards it and blows the camera a kiss.

"Heh that should keep the guards entertained for quite some time… Disgusting pigs" She rages to herself as the door slowly slides open with an electronic and metallic grind against gears. As the door hisses open, a grim sight plays before her eyes. Rows upon rows of fluid filled tubes appear before her. Scientists run hurriedly from tube to console, back and forth collecting data checking vitals and other miscellaneous information from them.

She strides through, absently checking each tube she passes. All contain something within them. She stares towards one in particular and wets her lips. "Oh how I would love to let you loose upon them all, my darling pet." The tank is thirty feet by twenty feet by twenty. Inside the fluid sits a creature. A sick merging of a Delbiter and Indi Belra, Twenty feet in height and seventeen feet in length the monstrosity stands. Its body that of a Delbiter, muscular then its distinct cousin though, its head is in the shape of an Indi Belra, it has the one piercing cyan eye of the Delbiter still locked in the center though. Its eye half closed at the moment. To either of its sides are the huge arms common of its Indi Belra relatives. The arms make the Indi Belra's seem as if a child's toy when compared.

Serena slowly places her hand upon the glass container, the eerie cyan eye snaps open. The beast makes a low croon as if to signify affection for her. Another scientist walks by, and glances at the beast. It's eye turns a red hue, its demeanor changes. Its back arches, slamming its front feet against the tube it hollers. The meager man falls and screams as the beast slams upon the tube again and again.

"Heh, why so worried? It's incased in the chamber, it cannot get out and if it did. It would only rip you limb from limb." She smiles sweetly as she says this, turning away from the timid man she again places her hand upon the tube, the beast nuzzles the spot where it was and then returns to its earlier status, its eye returns to a normal cyan color and closes.

Serena strides by the man, black high heels clicking against the cold floor as she goes. Serena soon comes upon another sealed door that yet again requires her key card and palm print. She gives both and the door opens soundlessly. She steps through, a small desk and computer console are seen in front of her, the room is lit to a minimum, just enough to see the computer screen without killing her eyes. She walks behind the desk, sits down, starts the power to computer and waits.

"… I can feel it no matter what Sojorian says… That child will be the death of this place. This grand scheme unless we bring him back to us… Broken…" With that the computer screen kicks on and a log in window appears, typing in her password, she says aloud, "I do hope he has a chance to see his mother before she dies… It will be a rather charming family reunion I am sure…" With that she begins work on the schematics and diagnostics of a project. The name appears above a diagram of man. The name reads, "Athanos."

"Oh you will come to know in dear time Colt… Everything will become clear, do not worry. Its just how you wish to be enlightened that remains to be seen!" Achrion fires off a round from his handgun. With Cranberry still in his arms, Colt push Mint aside and rolls to his left evading the initial shot. "Heh, still as fast as ever, even with the extra burden. Oh well you can't dodge forever though can you!" Achrion reaches behind to his abdomen and from a storage compartment pulls out a small red capsule, it pops open, a bright light flashes from within and a form materializes from it.

A Handgun model pops forth from the capsule, he grabs it in his right hand and takes aim. "Now then, let us continue!" He fires another volley of shots. I place Cranberry down on the floor to my right, quickly I crack open a Moon Atomizer over her still form and let the contents drift to her. The first shot misses, I then run to the left the second shot misses again. I think slowly to myself, "His aim is worse then Sage's." Suddenly I feel the remaining shot connect with my leg, I feel a twinge of pain and nothing else. I continue to run, hoping to draw his fire away from the other two and lead him away. My whole body freezes up then and I face fault on to the cold metallic floor below.

"Heh, did you really think you could get away so easily Colt?" He approaches me, the gun; I see now as a Vistirsa, "What do you want from me… Why do you hunt me…?" He looks down smiles, and laughs, his voice ringing back and forth through out the mines. "Oh what little you have not gotten child. I have already told you why I hunt you. Its because your needed by us. You are the key to our realization, whether you are aware of it or not."

My mind races to contemplate what he means, Feeling slowly begins to flow back into my legs, "Now will you come with me breathing, or do I have to drag your pathetic flesh and blood body there… I am sure your mother would rather you arrive breathing although; I doubt she will live much longer. Heh." My mind races, I… I have a parent? I can't grasp the meaning of this phrase; memories conflict within in me, the test tubes clash with the image of my supposed family, the image of my mother shatters, replaced by another female form. My sister and father disappear from my mind all that remains is the lone female figure extending her arms out to me as if to hold me…

The green HUcast aims the gun at my temple, "I shall ask once more Hunter… Do you wish to go with me breathing, or be relinquished from that ability?" I turn and stare into his cold metallic yellow eyes. "… You will have to drag me there before I believe a word you spout from that opening you call a mouth!"

"… Very well then… Good bye Colt, I had hoped it would not end this way… Your mother will be crushed… As if she isn't already gone from this plane though, hehe…" "Enough with YOUR, LIES!" Rage enters my voice, cold hatred sweeps my body in its eternal and deadly vice. The HUcast slowly takes the gun and aims, he pulls back on the trigger, I brace for the bullet to crush my life…

"Arrrgh! AHHHH! IT BURNS!" I whirl my head; I see the HUcast is down twenty feet to my right. His back covered in flames licking at his metal plating, as if burning embers that have suddenly caught life new and whole. "Leave… Him… Alone!"

I see Cranberry is up and ready to fight once again. Although drained, she has the will to fight on, propped up against her Windmill she stands ready to fight even if to the death. Feeling has returned to my leg, I slowly stand and then rush over to her, I kneel down since I am a good two feet taller then her, "Cran are you alright?" I ask panic taking a hold of me threatening to crush my concentration. Fear sweeps me "What if she's hurt, what if she gave her last breath for that shot…"

"Colt, I am fine don't worry, thank you for worrying though." She smiles at me, a sweet smile that plays across her face so easily. Her attention returns to the HUcast, his cries of pain slowly die down, sullenly turning into small fits of laughter.

"Hehe… AHAHAHA! Come now, did you honestly think a mere fire ball would stop me!" He slowly stands from the ground his back still turned. I can see the scaring affect it has had on his metal plating, its nearly gone. Wires are showing through holes in his back, pieces of metal are slowly dripping off his body as if they were blood… "You're worse for ware, you can not continue, just give up." I look at him solemnly as I say this, truly wishing for the fight to cease…

"Oh how naïve you truly are Hunter… How truly naïve! This fight is far from over!" With a scream of pure rage and anger, his body slowly begins the process of regenerating itself. "But! But how! It's not possible! It shouldn't be possible!" My eyes have to be deceiving me, showing me an illusion, a fear of my mind! It just can't be real! "Ahaha, AHAHAHA! Foolish Hunter! It is possible! To think this is only a small sample of what you are capable of! This mere regenerating of metal as if it were flesh, it is a mere puppet show to what you hold within yourself!"

His body appears whole now, fresh and new as if he was just created. As if his AI had just been planted in a new body. He flexes his body, the gears, joints and motions running smoother, faster then before, as if he is stronger now, improved… "Let us continue where we left off shall we?" Mocking in his voice, saying I don't have a chance of winning. A noise breaks the sudden silence a whistle, the HUcast calmly lifts his right hand in the air open in palm as if to stop something, then in an instant, I see him act with the impossible.

His hand now grips the photonic blade of the Windmill in his right, he then raises the left, and with the same grace, agility and mastery, he catches another blade thrown at him. I look towards my left and see Mint is now standing as well clutching a Diska of the Brave man in her right hand, her battle fatigued form better then Cran's yet if only by mere chance.

The HUcast simply smiles. Squeezes both hands and crushes the blades. Their photons emit a final show of light as they fall to the ground, broken, the shards twinkling sadly in the low light, as if saying "You are lost now… Pray for the light…" "Hehe, you will never learn will you. Newman women, stay out of this fight, it does not concern you, only me and the HUmar are to wage in this duel. If you enter again… You forfeit his life… The choice is yours, now choose!"

The HUcast charges me now, with speed beyond my abilities to comprehend or register. My neck is suddenly in a vice of steel and death, my feet dangle in the air as the HUcast lifts me with no effort at all. "I'll ask again Newman woman, what is your choice!"

Mint and Cran look towards one another, both nod slowly and solemnly as they throw their weapons to the ground. "Heh, very smart move ladies… Very smart indeed, it does seem your kind is capable of some higher thinking. Allow me, Achrion to thank you, this will make the battle all more enjoyable for me, I hope you enjoy the show, it's sure to be a spectacular one. Haha!" Achrion hurls me back, I slam against a wall and slide to the floor, pain, another surge of it covers me. I stand ready to fight.

I finally Draw my Yamato from its twin sheathes; their low blue photons react instantaneously, irradiating into a bold bright blue. I breathe slowly steadying myself for the fight at hand. Achrion, the green HUcast slowly draws his katana from his sides sheathe. The Yasha once again, the blade reflects in the low neon light, a bright flash of silver and old metals. He runs his fingers across its edge smoothly and lovingly, "Do you know how fine this blade is Hunter? I truly doubt you do, The Yasha a true blade of perfection, crafted in the AUW 2018 by Kikoku.

"It is said the blade becomes even more so powerful when brought together with its twin sword Sange… Here let me demonstrate for you the power your up against!" Achrion turns and slashes at the wall. At first I see nothing, then a rumble is heard, I look, suddenly the wall shifts, another groan. A section of the wall twenty by thirty suddenly falls free of it self. It crashes to the ground, the floor shakes as if another explosion has occurred on Ragol. I stare in disbelief, I cannot fight that, it will tear my blades in two.

"Heh, now that you know what you face Colt, at least you can know you never had a chance, now then… Die…" With that he charges again, his Yasha held forth like a spear hoping to impale me, I dodge to the left and whip the left blade of Yamato down, trying to server his left arm, he parries the blow with hardly an effort run forth his electronic circuits, I slash again with my right blade, he removes his left hand from the handle of the Yasha and grasps my blade before it reaches him. Locked in its death grip, I yank, pull and struggle to free my blade.

It all fails; he turns, his eyes piercing through me now, insane laughter and glee shows in the yellow hallows, his hand, slowly squeezes my blade. With a defiant crack it shatters, the blade nothing more now then pieces and dust in his palm, they fall to the ground, lifeless and cold. No longer do their photons shine with an awe inspiring blue. He flicks his right wrist suddenly, the Yasha crashes through my left blade now severing it in two, the top half falls to the ground, dead.

It shatters upon impact, my determination following its gesture, the remaining stump of a once proud blade I have in my left hand now, gives off one more defiant show of power and then it to slowly fades, its photons wither from life. I drop both handles and look at the remains of my weapon. It can't be, it just can't be… No weapon should be that strong… None. Achrion laughs again, "You see now Hunter? Give up, you will be spared death from this blade, for now at least."

Defiance rages in me, never once have I backed down from a fight with out giving my all, never will I… I jump back two feet and draw from its holster by my side a Raygun, I fire off three golden shots from it, and their photons whine and steam forward, all on target. Achrion laughs again and then with speed I have never seen or will ever know, He deflects all three, ending in stance, where his blade is held horizontal mid head length, his eyes closed, his mouth in a mocking smile. "Oh yes, I knew you would try that, you are truly wishing for a fight aren't you Hunter? You can feel it rage within you can you not? That thing, that thing churning inside you like molten metal, oh how it just screams for combat, bloodshed and chaos does it not? Let him out Hunter, I am sure you will not win either way."

Achrion charges forward with a slash to my head, I dodge, ducking the initial strike, I counter with a low right spin kick, he leaps forward with a front handspring evading my kick. I rise bearing my gun on him, I fire another three shots, two miss, and the final one he catches in his hand and lets the photon die within suffocating it of life.

Achrion laughs again, suddenly dodging to the right, a Foie files towards me, I shield my face with my arms out stretched, I fly back slamming into the metal wall. I look down to my hands and see the Raygun gone, burn to charred ashes and dying embers before my feet.

"Heh, I see the Newman woman do not listen well. I will let this incident go but next time he will not live." Achrion turns to Cranberry, deadly malice shows in his eyes, his voice filled with venom. She stares at me, the fore arms of my armor and shield singed. Cranberry drops to her knees in weak condolence… She wants to help I can see the fear this battle has brought to her eyes, I turn and see Mint going over to comfort the young Force, the same concern and mirrored fear in her eyes as well… I must fight this battle alone… No one can help me.

I stand once more, drawing forth my Chain Sawd. I grip the handle, the outer rim photons become alive, their slow whine showing the deadly intent stored within the eccentric blade. "Heh, so you think you can beat me with that mere mockery of a blade! Well then, show me its true power!" Achrion charges forth Yasha held in his right and left hands prepared for a downward slash. I charge to meet him, my Chain Sawd held low, to my left, we meet our blades clash, His Yasha in the mid of its downward strike, my Chain Sawd parrying his blow.

Achrion laughs, "Haha! Come now Colt! Is this truly the best you have? Show me what you can do with that defiant blade! Oh Chain Sawd Knight! Show me what you got!" Few know me by that name… A select few do even then it is a mere rumor among them… A chimera of the mind to them. Metal grinding upon metal is the only sound heard…

"… Chain Sawd Knight… No… It can't be… Colt…" Cranberry speaks in whispered undertones as if trying to disprove a theory she has only begun to formulate within her mind. "Chain Sawd Knight? Cranberry what is that-thing? Achrion talking about?" Cranberry looks towards Mint, disbelief mirrored in her brown soft-spoken eyes. "… They say the Chain Sawd Knight is a HUmar, skilled beyond rational dexterity and elegance with the warfare of that isolated blade. Few have heard of the name… Smaller still is the number that knows of the rumors around him." Mint turns towards Colt now deadlocked in a contest of strength and cunning with Achrion, both mere inches from the others eyes. Achrion, not showing an ounce of strain as he holds Yasha against the massive brand. Colt to shows little effort as his blade is forced against Yasha. The two combatants stare one another down, hoping the other will cave, suddenly lose face and will. Neither does…

"Rumors abound this Chain Sawd Knight… The few that have heard the rumors about him are the principal himself and his staff… Natasha of the Lab, and a few high ranked Hunters… Both the Principal and Natasha have sent forth Hunters to discover who he is. It is said that the battlefields where he has fought are mere gestures to the carnage he could bring forth… His blade… The Chain Sawd is a weapon of rarities. A massive blade in of it self, easily a difficult weapon to use on its own… Yet the uniqueness of the blade comes not from its materials used or its size, yet in its design, for on the outer edge of the blade, spins smaller photon blades… Teeth if you will."

Cranberry stops again, catching her breath, unknown to Colt she is not truly well… Her body and mind have not had a true chance to even begin the healing process she needs… Her mind is still dim and hazy from battle, her breathing labored still she fights on…

"Why have so few heard or seen him if he is so great then?" Mint asks agitation shows in her voice, disbelief in the sudden rumor that one could be so powerful and yet so unknown or even heard of… Cranberry looks to Colt for a moment, him and Achrion still locked in the deadly vice they have made for themselves. Neither moving deadlocked in this battle. "Colt, give up you know you can not win! Just come with me and all will end, you will no longer be tormented by these questions you have! Just give up!" Achrion says in a mocking smile. Colt remains silent, defiant in his posture and tone, his eyes, defiance radiates within them. Colt looks towards Cran and Mint if only for a second, smiles slightly and nods his head. His face returns to look at Achrion's, the fighters once again enter the fray.

"…None have lived to truly report on him…" Cranberry closes her eyes for a moment. Stress and pain gripping her whole body in a strangle hold. "Then how do you know they even saw him…?"

"It is by his blade… Very few people even hold a Chain Sawd… Even fewer still use the weapon. The way it is used in battle… The cuts, the slashes, it as if it was an art form to the holder… As if he was truly in sync with his weapon… The only way those cuts would have been made on the other Hunters or animals was by that blade… He is still a mystery to us…"

Achrion suddenly jumps back from the melee, his blade coming out of the Chain Sawd's death grip its teeth once held on the Yasha. The outer rim of the blade spins free once again. The blade whines as it comes to life, the phoenix reborn. "Hehe, I see you have learned well in the art of that blade… Too think your swordsmanship with it is self-taught as well. A true rarity among the countless. Although it is no surprise… You were always ready for combat; even from the time you were walking he made sure you could handle a weapon with ease."

Achrion charges again his blade held to the right and low, I stand, ready watching, my blade held mid height to me, he comes within striking distance I swing the brand in a high arc hoping to cleave his head, he dodges and lands a round house kick to my chest. I fly backwards; my body collides with crates left over from Pioneer 1. I slide against a wall, my body coming a stop. Torment washes my body over. I pull myself up, using my proud blade as a stand to rise, Achrion looks at me and laughs.

"Well it looks like I will have to kill you then… Good-bye Hunter. Do give my regards to your mother, don't worry your friends may soon follow as well, hehe…" Achrion slowly draws another handgun from his holster, he grips it and concentrates for a moment, dark purple energy surrounds the gun… I do not know what it could be. "COLT! RUN!" I hear a wail but its too late "Farewell Hunter! May our ideals be your greatest testament to the world and all on Pioneer 2! Now DIE!" Achrion fires off the shot, I close my eyes and wait, a sudden wail pierces the death of the mines, I look and see before my eyes, Rati has taken the shot…

Rati gives out one last sworn full cry and slowly falls. I grab it before it hits the ground… "No… Rati… Why? Why do this for me…?" Rati just turns its body, nuzzles against my chest and slowly vanishes, its ember of life fades in my arms… Its metal casting disappears along with it in a small purple haze.

I look into my own two arms… No. This cant be real, no it just can't be… I fall to my knees and cry. Metal footsteps penetrate the cold air of the mines, I look up Achrion is looking down at me. "Stupid Mag… You're still going to die… Just not here, not yet." Achrion turns and throws a small cube object behind him, a sudden explosion occurs, the wall and ceiling crumbles to the floor below I stare and see as the rocks and metal suffocate and strangle Mint and Cranberry. "No! Cranberry! Mint! I rise and try to rush to them, try to save them, yet a blow catches me on the back of the head, I fall hearing only two things as I go, Achrion saying, 'Now sleep Hunter…" and a female's voice saying "Colt don't give up… Don't give up my son…"

I awake, my body numb with pain and cold. I stand, grasp to my holster and find all my weapons gone. Everything. Mint! Cran! I look around to see where they are see if they are alright hoping beyond hope that the cave in was a mere illusion. A deceit of my mind. I am all-alone, trapped within this cell. I look to the back corner of the cell and notice my initial perception was wrong…

There in the corner almost unnoticed is a RAcaseal. "…Hello?" I ask unsure if this new find is a friend or foe. I am given no response at all… I step closer, trying to make her out better. I see now she has a metal pony tail, her body casting is Orange and black, with a set of gorgeous blue eyes. I kneel down to look at her, her head turns, ever slowly. She looks at me, an expression of joy, and sorrow suddenly fills her face. She lifts her hand to me. I notice the hindered movements in it and the slow responses of her gears…

She is dying… I grasp her hand and hold it to my heart. "Do not worry, a friend is here now…" I smile to her as I say these words. Her eyes sparkle again, tears begin to form at her eyes, ones of happiness and unfulfilled promises. They flow down her metal form, small rivers on her. I gently lift my left hand and wipe away her tears, she looks at me and tries to say something, it is too soft to be heard, yet I still feel the weight of it impact me, as if I am losing a mother.

Her eyes slowly smile to me and then, the radiance they once held only seconds ago dies. Her hand becomes limp in my own. I lower my head, in mourning for her, even though I have just barely met this young RAcaseal; it feels as if I have known her since birth. I look up and notice clutched in her left hand is two things. A small purple ring and a data disk are held close to her heart. I look at the expression on her face once more; it is one of happiness now, as if a long sought after dream has been accomplished. I look upon the ring and disk; I take both slowly from her hand, now lost of life. It releases the items with ease as if she wanted me to have them both…

I look over the purple ring again. It is in an appealing lavender and violet hue with white around the outer edges of it. On the inner outside of it sits runes and letters much like those used in a photon blast. I could never make these glyphs out on my own. I slip the ring on my wrist, feeling as if it is what she would want me to do. I notice that I must remove my secrete gear to do so. I remove the shield for the ring, suddenly feeling as if this is right… As if it is a key fitting into a lock.

I turn the disk over in my right hand. Wondering what could be on it. With my curiosity peaked I slip the small disk into my arm gauntlet. The disk slides in without a sound. I turn to my screen on the arm gauntlet. I look and see the disk's icon I hesitate to activate it, as if it holds something… Something that once seen will change me, change me in a way that I may welcome or fear… I touch the activation key on my arm gauntlet…

The small halo screen pops up. It takes a few minutes to load the data. I notice the young RAcaseal standing there. Her eyes looking sadden and scared for some one.

"… Hi Colt… If your viewing this now… That must mean I have finally passed on. I am so sorry I never got to see you before now… Do understand it wasn't you, it… It was because I couldn't… I am so sorry my son- what the… Did, did she just call me son… No. It can't be…. I am sorry I wasn't there… I am sorry I could not be there for you in your times of need." She begins to cry now tears flowing from her beautiful blue eyes, I shake my head. No this can't be real… This can't be… It just can't… My mind begins to crack images old and new begin to wane and shatter.

"Colt… You must live on, you must. For there is no one else. I know this is hard for you to understand, or even accept. You must go on though. Please, you must live. Good bye I love you…" With that the image fades, as it does the small purple ring slides from my wrist and falls to the floor. Its small sound as it hits the concrete floor is the only thing in the darkness. I back away from the inactive RAcaseal. Clutching my head. My mind snapping, severing in two. Images old and new fade and crack. The mirror in my mind breaks. More test tubes, the Image of the young RAcaseal smiling at me with those eyes, as a mother does to her son. "No… No! This can't be real! Sh-She can't be… She can't be my mother! All this time! I've wanted to know the truth but… but this can't be it! So where is it now! Where in the hell have I been lead! Ahhhhh!" I fall to my knees head in hand, crying like a small child with no one to offer me comfort.

Clap…Clap…Clap I turn to the noise now and see a figure in the darkness. Male by his stance. "Well, well… You have finally come to the truth young Hunter. Tell me how does it feel to have watched your mother die in your arms?" I look towards the figure then back to the RAcaseal, lying there with a smile upon her face… "Sh-she wasn't my mother…" I say this, doubt clouding, strangling, every word, every sound I utter from my mouth.

"Oh…. My, my I do hope you didn't say those words to her when she was still alive. She would have been so heart broken. He steps forward now, His blood red and black robes sway into the light first, followed by his jet black hair held in place by a small bandana, followed by his pale complexion and his blood red eyes…

"Hehe, by the look on her face I would say no. So you don't believe the disk I see. Well it truly is no surprise since we did re-press those certain memories. Come now though, you must remember me from some where?" I look at him… "You! You were the FOmar at my Hunter's test!" "Ah excellent! You do recognize me! Oh what a true joy that was to watch as you took top honors in that test. A true spectacle to watch my ultimate creation slice through monster after monster, Hunter after Hunter in his young blood lust."

I turn from him, cringing at the painful memories. "…I…I didn't relish in those killings…" He looks at me and smiles, his eyes laughing at me as I make my claim that I barely have conviction in now, that I know all my memories and past feeling could be just a fake mirror, a piece of glass ready to shatter and show its true broken colors.

"Oh you don't believe me? Well then Colt… Let me show you the truth of it all!" The Force opens the cell steps in and slams his hand against my head, pinning it against the wall. I grab to his wrist trying to break his hold. His clod grip never wanes my hands working as if numbed and cold. I can do nothing against his death grip. "Now I release you from the turmoil of your flawed existence. I turn you over to the true mirror that your mind desires. Now awaken Colt! Awaken to your true past!"

A light surrounds his palm, I begin to slowly fade into the darkness that is my mind, I grip. Struggle to maintain a grip on reality. The endeavor fails, I begin to wane and then memories I never knew existed flow to me, as if they were once lost in the dark corners of my mind, but never forgotten.

"Mom? Hey Mom!" The young RAcaseal turns to the small child. He is a young male, his hair a dark brown almost black. His eyes are a piercing combination of blue and cyan, a rather pretty color when looked upon. "Hmm, oh Colt. What is it? You seem rather happy?" She smiles at the young boy, so full of live and excitement, even if he doesn't know his true purpose yet. A small tear comes to her striking blue eyes. "Mom, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" She turns to the young boy; he was always so perceptive and caring she thinks to herself. "It's nothing son, now what did you have to show me?"

"Mommy… please don't cry… If you're sad you can tell me okay! I promise to make it better!" The young boy smiles to his mother. The young RAcaseal looks into his blue and cyan eyes, tears form at her own; she brings him close and hugs him. "Colt… Please don't ever lose who you are." "How could I mom?" She just laughs, "Never mind son, never mind…" The young boy looks into his mothers blue eyes, smiles and just holds onto her enjoying the embrace of his loving mother.

The FOmar removes his hand from my head. I collapse to the floor. My hands supporting my weak arms sweat and tears roll off my face, collecting into a small puddle on the floor. "Hmmm… I will leave you to your thoughts now…I do hope this has brought some clarity to your fading life. Hahaha… Farewell Colt, I will see you soon."

I lift my head up, looking towards the young RAcaseal now… My mother… Even if she wasn't by biologics mine… She was still the only thing I had… "Why…? I have found what I wanted… N-Now How do I continue on? What, what is it I am fighting for!" I scream to the walls surrounding me, my own voice crying out the same question back.

I lower my head and cry again. The tears rolling down my face in slow constant streams. Through chocked sobs I ask no one but myself, "Wha-What does this all mean? What can I do…. Can, Can I even go on anymore? What do I have left to fight for? Am I nothing more then a small empty shell? … Am I even real to anyone? … Am, Am I even, human…" I slowly rise, and walk over to the RAcaseal now. I kneel down to her and hold her in my arms. Her cold metal form lifeless and still within my arms. Her eyes, shining in my memories now with such brilliance that they rivaled the sun, are now cold with death and forgotten smiles.

I hold her close, put my forehead and against hers and cry. "I am sorry Mom… I am sorry I could never find you until now…" I feel something touch the back of my battle shoe; I look down a see the purple ring that fell from my wrist. I pick it up again, more fond memories flood back to me as I hold the small ring within my palm.

"Here Colt, I want you to have this." "Oh wow! It's so cool! What is it mom?" "It's called the Purple Ring. It slides on your wrist and acts as a shield of sorts if you will. It also holds a special power in it." "It does? What is it?" She only laughs to herself solemnly, "Well, when two or more rings are brought together in close range with one another, they activate, giving the bearers even more defensive power then before." "Oh wow! Thanks Mom!" The young HUmar hugs his mother and wears his new present. "Why did you go and give that filthy experiment that?" The young RAcaseal turns and faces Serena Legenda, the lead research on the project. "Because it's Colt's birthday that's why." "Tch, foolish sentiments for something that was solely made to be slaughtered."

"Mom? Why is Serena here?" "Oh its nothing Colt, go run along and play now." "…..Okay…" The young HUmar stares at Serena, his eyes portraying malice and hatred towards her. A Warning to her that if she harms the RAcaseal he has come to know as his mother, she will not live to see the sun. "…So he calls you mother huh? And you allow this… How pathetic of you…" With that Serena turns, her heels clicking along the floor as she goes the only sound in the room. "I don't like her at all mother…" Colt says his blue and cyan eyes usually filled with joy and laughter, now show hate and loathing to the disappearing figure.

"Don't worry, she won't harm you or me. So do you want to play now?" A smile appears on his mother's face, her pony tail bouncing as she tilts her head her eyes closed and an innocent smile appears on her.

I examine the ring held within in my palm. I take the ring and slowly slip it on my right wrist. It fits perfectly… I look down and notice she too wears a purple ring, now cold with her life gone. I slip it from her wrist and place it in my pocket. "…. Oh mom... Why… Why am I here? Why do I even exist?"

Sojorian watches from his office once again. "Heh, good he is broken. Achrion." "Yes Sojorian?" "Do fetch him now, he will be most easy to handle now, I doubt he has the will to fight back after finding out the truth he sought so hard to learn…" "At once Sojorian, although I must ask… What if he does offer some resistance?" "Heh if he does Achrion… Kill him." A small smile gleams on Achrion's face as the words are uttered from Sojorian's mouth. "With pleasure sir…" With that Achrion disappears from Sojorian's presence without a sound. The only sign of his passing is the space he once stood in is now devoid of his metal body.

"Heh, well Colt… Time to see the fruits of my labors… Let us hope you live through the process. Hehe, Ahahaha…." Sojorian rises from his chair and heads out his office door. "Soon… It will all be done with soon… I will be a god… No one can stop me now… Hahaha, AHAHAHA!"

With Colt broken and shattered, Achrion comes for his prey. Can Colt muster the will to fight back and escape, or has the one truth he so desperately sought claimed him in its death hold.

Also what happened to every one else. Especially Sage, Mewone and Samus? Are Cranberry and Mint even alive anymore? We all know that Mewone and Samus can't be off to a good start, they have the blind FOmar for help. You will have to wait to find out

Cranberry: Question! Will there be an elevator shaft for Colt to fall down in the next chapter. D

Colt:…. …. No god damnit! Now leave that subject alone!

Cranberry:… Your no fun ;;… I will be very cranky in the morning if I'm dead.

Colt:… Um… I got to go bye! fkees

Cranberry:… He isn't going to make it sadly, casts Rafoie

Next chapter: Purple Ring Knight Emerges.


	12. Purple Ring Knight Emerges

**Chapter Twelve **

_**Purple Ring Knight Emerges**_

Footsteps ring out in the dank air of the cell. I look up, my eyes blurred with tears, see only a green hulking figure before me. "Let's go Colt. Your worth is going to be proven here and now…" With that a fist collides with my skull and I black out.

"Heh, welcome to Colt. I do hope you don't mind the constraints on you but we can't have you trying to kill us now can we?" I roll my head, vision blurred and mind groggy I look around myself. I try to move my hands and legs to find only what the voice said is true, I am unable to move them. My vision begins to clear, I look forward and see the FOmar standing before me once again, his eyes giving me a smile while his mouth shows hate.

I turn to my left and right, seeing I am strapped down to some sort of table or device. My eyes fall on the surrounding darkness. My mind screams at me, a warning, danger, death, I panic as my vision shows me what I have only begun to remember. "Th-This, this is where I was born…" "Heh, I can see you are beginning to see clearer now… Although I do believe born is not the correct term used for you. Heh, that is to say you were created, not born human."

"Wha? What do you mean!" "Oh come now Colt? Are you truly that blind, the conflicting memories, who your surrogate mother was? You honestly still believed you were born human? Heh, what a joke… You were not born human. You were made human."

I fall silent… My mind wresting with this new phantom, that has brought it self forth. "… Anyways, on to your other memories we so cut off from you. Yes you were created human, Achrion and myself, were the ones who also taught you combat, do you recall?" I fall silent as my mind works… "It seems you do. You also had your mother, Anna who raised you…. She was supposed to do nothing more then make sure you were educated about Coral… To bad she failed and developed a bond with you…"

My heart freezes again; I now have a name for my mother… I look around again trying to wash away these scars of old that are now new to me. I look towards the tubes that surround us. I see all contain… Something in them, whether it be a monster I recognize or some sick merging of others… I do not care which, my mind just screams, hollers and writhes for my to flee, leave this place, to break free and run, killing all who stand in my way.

"Hmm, I see you rather dislike this place, as you should. It was the place of some rather, painful operations on you. Tell me have you ever wondered how two beings were able to exist within your one body?" I remain silent as the other rises in me now, at the mention of him. _"Heh, it's no true surprise to us now is it Hunter? We are both alive are we not? Why should we care how it ended up like this, come let me take control, then we can begin what is rightfully ours!"_ "Enough of your mad logic!"

Achrion looks at me and laughs to himself, "Heh, it seems you were right Sojorian. One is bent on chaos and death, the other, willing to die for his friends. To sides of the same mirror, one dark and the other light." "Not quite Achrion." The FOmar Sojorian says, while smiling slightly, "While you are right about one being bent on chaos, the other is not as pure as one would think. Isn't that right Colt?"

I turn from him now and say nothing. "For you see Achrion, Colt did take top honors in his Hunter's test." "Yes I remember that well, I was there to present him with his license…" "True but you never did get a chance to see the file footage of the VR field now did you?" "Heh, I am sad to say I did not. Why did the light side suddenly become tarnished? Hehe." Sojorian smiles, a menacing smile to me. His eyes turn cold and glare with an evil happiness at me. "Why yes it did Achrion, yes it did…"

"Begin the examine… NOW!" A voice screams I open my eyes and see I am set in a forested area. The canopy is not covered in thick lush trees as I had thought of, yet it was more akin to a temperate zone climate with a few exotic varieties of plants. "Well… I best get going." My voice sounding frail even to my own ears, I draw forth my saber, it glows green as the photons come to life in my palm. I walk the path forward. I soon come to a laser grid fence. It goes down as I approach, I step through, suddenly as I leave it in my wake it activates once again and does not disappear as I approach.

"… This is not a good sign…" The voice crackles through to my ears again. "In some areas you will need to defeat monsters to move on to the next room, or activate a switch hidden some where along the way. Remember, you need two Ids to proceed and pass the examine, that is all." The voice fades out with an electronic crackle and hiss. I am left alone once again. "… Perfect…"

A sudden noise grabs me; it is a small peep, like that of a native bird. I look around and see nothing… Suddenly a flash of yellow catches my eye to the left of me, I lash out with my saber and server the head of the animal from its body. The head rolls on the ground, the body still waddles forward a few more steps, and then falls. Blood leaks from the stump it now has for a neck, I look towards the head, yellow in color, I see two eyes placed on either side of the beak, not directly in the center of the head and yet not directly on either side of its skull. Akin to my own eye set.

I look towards my arm gauntlet to determine what it is I have just slain. The data screen pops up and shows the bird standing at about two to three feet tall, a rather plump animal, almost like an over grown penguin from our home world of Coral, except yellow, and atop its head sits two antennae with feathers at the ends of them… The automated voice begins to describe the animal to me.

"Rappy, a class of native animal on Ragol, timid in nature, Rappies are non aggressive and flee from predators instead of fighting, though if caught or unable to run Rappies have been known to play dead. Waiting for their chance to escape. It should also be known that Rappies nest in groups of two or more…" "…. I really didn't need to know that." I say to the arm gauntlet which continues its rant on the over grown chickens. "There have also been sightings of a rare sub species of Rappies. We have dubbed them Al Rappies, these Rappies though almost physically Identical to their Rappy counter parts are blue in color and far more aggressive, extreme caution is to be used if one is spotted."

"Well at least it wasn't a blue one then…" I chuckle to myself slowly; suddenly more peeps are heard from the surrounding trees and thickets. "Ahh crud… I hate when research data is correct." More flashes of yellow appear from the trees and grasses. Suddenly in front of me a huge blue bird appears. "… Damnit… I just had to encounter the angry one didn't I?" I back away from the slowly advancing horde. My saber drawn forth once again, ready to cleave more of these rather strange birds in two. They all move towards the behead Rappy; they look towards it and then me, suddenly all flea but the Al Rappy. Instead the blue bird charges me, I am unready for this move and feel its sharp beak suddenly pierce through my armor.

I stagger back grasping at the point below my rib cage where the beak pierced me. Blood drains on to my hand. I put my left hand on the wound, hoping the pressure will stop my bleeding. The Al Rappy croons in triumph as its beak gleams red in the fading light. I grasp my saber within my right palm now. "Gah, damn bird… Glad it's so short." My breathing slightly labored now thanks to the new hole I have. The bird turns towards me and charges again, "Heh, I won't fall for the same move twice even if injured. You're going to have to think harder then that!" I pivot on my right foot as the bird charges towards me again, as the shocked Rappy turns its head to look at me; my saber comes around full swing and catches it in its stomach. The photonic blade burns and eats its way through the Rappy's flesh and bones.

The bird gives out a blood-curdling cry of defeat and death and then goes limp. I pull my saber out of the bird. It is drawn forth clean, the photons having burned the blood, bone and sinew as it lanced through the creature. I stare down at the animal and see the gash. It is the length of its stomach area, and almost went clean through the animal. Blood begins to slowly seep from the open wound now.

A sound of a lock opening sounds in the area I scan my surroundings, and soon notice a door with Green lights to either side of its markings. I step towards the door, it slowly slides open with a grind of metal. As I begin to walk through I look back towards the Al Rappy, its small mangled body. I feel remorse for the slaying. Suddenly I look towards the creature again and notice something besides its body. An orange data box appears.

I walk towards the small box, open it and discover within in it a massive photon sword. I grasp the handle of the blade, its photons activate, a low blue blade appears. Carefully removing my left hand from my wound I grasp the massive brand with both hands. I feel the weight of the blade, it feels… Comfortable, as if… It was always meant to be within my palm…

I brush aside these thoughts, I have hardly had enough experience handling weapons, the thought is a mere grandeur on my mind. I deactivate the phtonoic blade and strap it to my back. The clinking of the handle and center portion upon my battle suit is the only sound I hear as my feet carry me through the now unlocked door.

"Well. It seems he is doing rather well, quite remarkable Sojorian… Although. I am rather surprised he can handle a Gigush at his current level… He shouldn't even be able to wield the blade." Sojorian smiles to the Principal, "Yes he is rather well trained and well… A few other things as well." "Yes… quite… Now tell me Sojorian, how many of these, "vessels" can you have to me by the time we land on Ragol?" Sojorian smiles all is coming together, he thinks to himself, "The fool of a man. He doesn't even realize he is being used… So much for Pioneer 2's great leader, he can't even see he is the fly in my web... The lab director Natasha is not one much for brains either… Although more so then him… It matters not, as long as we achieve our ideals… They will both become nothing more then a ripple in history's thoughts…" A slow grin plays across his face and blood red eyes.

The Principal turns to Sojorian and cringes upon seeing his menace of a face. "I hate dealing with him… But… If it ensures the safety of all aboard Pioneer 2… Then I shall comply… If these reports from Ragol are true about ancient ruins… Then we will need this new breed of Hunter…" The Principal turns away and looks towards the screens again displaying the VR fields and the individual Hunters as they progress through them. An automated voice sounds "Hunter Brick has fallen… returning him to the medical area now…" "Hmm… They just don't seem to make RAcasts like they use to…" The Principal sighs to himself… He was hoping for a better turn out then this for the exams, although unknown to the people of Pioneer 2… The guild was in desperate need of Hunters… Most had left with the main body of Pioneer 1 as mercenaries for the army… The guild was desperate now for new Hunters… Still… They couldn't just take any one…

"Warning, Warning, Warning… Hunter Colt: Class HUmar, Skyly ID is en route with Hunter KilllOut: Class HUcast Skyly ID. Warning, Warning, Warning… A screen appears showing the Hunters current position to one another. "Hmm it seems they will meet within the biggest area of the first VR field…. They are ahead of the rest of the group as well… I hope your creation can fight other Hunters as well as he slays monsters Sojorian…"

Sojorian smiles, his face becoming cold and deadly in the wake of seeing his creation ready to shed blood. "Oh… He will pass do not worry… He shall prove his worth here and now… Do get the medical bay ready and prepared though…Hehehe… That HUcast will not finish this test." The Principal looks into the FOmar's eyes. No emotion is shown. His eyes, a blank mirror, reflecting nothing to the world… The principal turns to the screens again, looks at each individual Hunter, turns back to Sojorian and notices the developing grin on his face. It contorts him into a creature of dark obsessions. He then looks back and stares at Colt, he mutters to himself "…There is no way that a HUmar could hold so much power…" "Fine then, choose not to believe my words, you will loose a Hunter this day…" With that Sojorian turns his full attention to the battle that shall soon awaken on the field… He calmly says to the air. "Now Colt… Its time for you to awaken…"

I soon come across a tapestry f colors hanging in the fading light of the forest. Its light hews of golden yellow, red, and pink mixing and blending with the soft greens and blues of the ground below. I look down to the hole in my armor and again… The wound has closed, yet is still sore. Luckily I had discovered a few monomates a few rooms back and had put one to good use. I now had three left. The sound of water is all that greets my ears at first, then suddenly I pick something up. A sudden noise, as if they were… Feet… I look to my left and notice a purple HUcast has just entered the area from my left. He turns to me, looks me over, and charges.

His saber drawn forth, held above his head as if a guillotine, he barrels towards me. He strikes trying to server my body clean in two; I roll to the left, avoiding the deadly brand by four feet. An impression in the ground is left by his saber, five feet deep the blade has burned through the earth and rock as if paper. "Stand and fight HUmar!" He strikes again, trying to catch me in the stomach. I rise quickly and jump backwards two feet drawing my own saber. "Must we fight? We each need another ID to advance. Why not work together? We could get through this and not cause any blood shed!"

The HUcast stops for a moment, looks at me and laughs. "Ha! You foolish flesh ridden being! There is no helping! You can only depend on yourself! That is all it ever is and all it ever can be… Now, stop moving and die…" The HUcast charges again, I walk backwards and stumble over an exposed root. I fall to my back, the HUcast lunges hoping to drive the saber through my chest. I kick my feet into his chest plate, using his own movement against him; I move my legs with his body and toss him over me. I rise, I see him on the ground a few feet behind me.

"Heh, clever small one. However it will take more then that to stop me!" He rises and brandishes his saber. I ready mine again as well. We circle one another; defensive, awaiting the others move. The HUcast chargers again His blade coming towards me in a high left arc, I rear my own saber to parry his blow. The photonic blades clash, sparks fly from both blades as we lock in combat. The hiss and grind of our sabers as they lock in a deadly strife are the only things heard now within the clearing. He steps back, his blade coming free from mine, He again lashes at me. I parry the blow again, once more we are mere inches from one another's face, his eyes computing the likely out come of this battle. My own dead set on winning.

He charges again, his blade set down and to his right side. He strikes rearing the blade upward and to the left, I pivot to the right. Evading the strike of the brand, I lash out with my own attack, my photon blade cuts through his left arm. He jumps back; his hand lies on the ground now twitching as the circuits try in vain to connect with his arm again… It slowly stops and lies flat on the ground. Only sparks come forth from it now… "You worthless fool! You will atone for what you have done!" His emotions gone haywire in his maddens, a state of blood lust enthralls him. He streaks towards me now, speed unmatched by my human body. I stumble backwards again, only yet once more to land on my back.

He comes now, a purple blur before my eyes. "Now Colt… Awaken!" A voice screams through my mind. A searing pain burns in my temples. I feel something within me… It moves, breathes and craves life. The thing lances through me, suddenly I feel whole, as if I was never complete until this very moment in time, as if I were only a mere shell of what I could be… I turn towards the HUcast again, his charge seems slow now, as if… He was moving through water, his movements delayed, hindered, clunky and easily seen and predicted.…

I stand and ready my Saber, he comes for me. I crouch in under his slow swing. I slam my fist into his metal arm joint I hear the snap and twinge of metal and wire breaking. My elbow then slams home into his chest plate leaving a dent within it. I draw the Gigush from its sheath, the photons coming to life within my palm of ice. Its blue glow suddenly intensifies. A sudden surge of power courses through the blade. I care not where it came from or why it came to be. Just as long as my blood lust is satisfied, just as long as the HUcast lies on the ground battered, broken and dead I care not where it came from.

I swing the massive sword low, severing both his legs in one deadly lance. He falls to the ground, his legs clatter noiselessly to the ground before him. I draw my saber once more. I walk over to stand before his mangled body. Wires protrude everywhere along his arm and leg connections, sparking as if they had a hope of re-assembling. , then before he has time to utter another word of defiance from his circuitry, my photonic blade crashes into his chest. Piercing through his armor as if it were a mere body of water, my blade is shoved to its hilt in his body.

His mouth opens, nothing comes forth from it. He dies noiselessly before me. A sudden light of white and red flashes before me, the HUcast's body is teleported from the VR field, as soundlessly as he left this existence his body follows suit. I stand now, and look to where his body was, I see laying on the ground his Hunter ID. Bending down, picking up the small ID crest. I move it between my fingers. It feels so small and fragile… Much like a human life…

I place it in my pocket, I rise and look towards the door ahead of me. A noise sounds and the door unlocks. Strapping my Gigush back to its rightful place, I draw my saber forth from the ground it was embed in.

A sudden ice breezes billows through the area. The ground where the HUcast once laid is barren now, all that was remained of him, now gone… Whether by the Hunters Guild or the harsh wind that has come forth, like the Grim Reaper to collect his reward of another lost soul. It has all been lost to time… I sigh, turn my back on the grim scene and step through the door to the next area… As I walk past the doors I pray for his soul… Even though, I truly enjoy watching him die before my eyes… A sudden small down pour begins… As if the sky signifies the sudden loss of my own soul, and now… It weeps for me…

The HUcast was dead even before the vital signs on the Principal's visors activated. "Wha-What..? No… It can't be! He just can't be that powerful! Sojorian, what in the name of hell have you created!" The Principal whirls on the FOmar, his eyes, declaring a state of madness, fright and sadness all at once. His age finally shows in the withered mans face, no longer the stout youth of old, but a tired old man who just wishes to forget the past…

"… I suggest you inform the medical bay it was a freak accident." Sojorian says to the Principal, his eyes still keen on the battle field where Colt now walks away from. "A freak accident? This is an outrage! You know very well no one will believe that we were able to lose a Hunter applicant from a test! A VR FIELD TEST TO BE EXACT!" "Then I suggest you fire the nurses and hire others that are far less advance in thought patterns." Sojorian's face turns to stare at the Principal. His eyes showing no remorse for the slain Hunter, his eyes fall upon the Principal now. "You will do as I say… Know your place old man…"

No emotion is displayed at all in his blood red eyes. He is a mirror, only reflecting ones own image back at them… The Principal sputters and mumbles incoherent arguments. Half-truths, complete lies, and words half formed from his mouth, any manner of sound that can some how justify this… This, atrocity to continue existing… "I will be expecting your offer on how many you want within a week, Tyrell. Don't disappoint me… Oh do continue to watch the show…. I am sure you will find it… Rather amusing to say the least… Hehe, ahaha…" Sojorian exits through the twin doors, the life of the room leaving with him.

Tyrell now left alone, in the cold death that now plagues his mind, shakily sits down in his chair and opens a drawer by his desk. He takes from the draw a small flask of some kind. All that's known is the beverage inside will make him forget how human emotions are… He slowly produces a cup from the same drawer and places it upon his desk. He pours the liquid into it, a dark brown in color, or is it clear? The lights in the room dimmed down to the point where color is non-existent anymore… He grabs the cup within in his old hands. Stares at the contents, as if to debate on whether or not he should drink the vile crap once more, eventually he gives into the sweet ignorance of no human emotions can be. "To you Rico… May we never have another fate become like yours is…" The Principal gulps the said mixture in one swig of the glass. He sets it down slowly on the desk, covers his head with his hands, and then cries for the sins he is about to unleash upon his people…

"…. Well, well I am impressed. I never knew he would enjoy such blood shed." "Yes, quite agreed Achrion, though I doubt it was completely of his own feelings. That was when the other slightly awakened within… That is to say, when it started to grow, feed, and consume. Colt was merely the conducting rod for its nourishment… Now how ever, the vessel is no longer needed and its true body is ready."

Sojorian steps forward upon a pedestal of some type. I can't make it out from how I am strapped to this thing. Lights flash around him as the machine activates. The machine slowly hums to life, "Soon, truly soon I will be a god! Nothing will stop me! Ahaha!" Suddenly a jolt of energy surges through my legs and wrist, pain consumes my being. I wish to scream, holler in pain or cry like a small child. The pain however has other ideas, it strips me of my voice, my will, and my soul. My eyes must look as if I have died, for all around me I see scientists and aides cringing as I turn my head towards them. I try to mouth words of pleas, trying to beseech them to stop it, to release me from this pain.

None so much as glance at my efforts. I try again to holler at least test to see if I am still alive. Yet my voice cannot escape my body, instead the unholy screams and wails I clamor to release all ring out in my mind. I turn to look at this demon of man who stands before me now, Sojorian turns towards the door, I suddenly see it open, there within in the door way two figures step through, they step into the light, the first I recognize instantly, Serena… The second I am shocked to see, its Mint, I try and reach my hand out to her, to signify that she has come to help.

She merely looks at my struggling hand and laughs at me… I can't understand it then… It all makes sense… The reason she was looking for me with the other two hunters Marc and Alexis. The reason she was so glad to have found me alive… It was all just to bring me back here… I try to cry, how I could have been so naïve, so ignorant, so trusting… The pain replenishes its dosage on me and a new wave spews forth over my body.

I relive the memory in the mines. Colt… You're not alone, we are your family now. It was all just a ploy, a trick, a feint to bring me here… How could I have been so stupid! So arrogant… So needing… So… So… So foolish… I turn away and just stare at the ceiling, letting the pain wash over me again and again, letting it strip me of my thoughts. Soon though, my body numbs to the pain, it amplifies again… Again my body becomes use to it, soon I am forced to relive that moment again and again, that cheap tactic, that fake rouse, that simple lie that she easily used to win me over…

My eyes, water. I try to hold back the tears, show that this development has no effect on me. That I am more then a match for this simple emotion… It doesn't work… My eyes water, the pain now a dull singe upon my body does nothing to take my mind off of its own ignorance and stupidity… The truth was clear, the lie was murky… Yet I dove for the lie without looking back once…

The tears come to me slowly and softly, no great wails of pain, no searing screeches of torment escape my lips, just low small sobs… I am lost now… I can feel it, my mind clouding with thoughts, "What of the others… Will they betray you, can you trust them. What of the others… How ignorant can you be…? What of the others, you are all alone now…What of the others…" "No… Just stop please, just stop." I slowly sob to myself, tears roll down my face in small rivers, my mind repeating the same question within it self, harsher and darker then the times before.

"Heh, he is broken… Do it now. While there will be the least resistance, I care not whether he dies or lives… Just get me what is rightfully mine." I had thought the worst of the pain was over, what could be worse then fearing your friends have betrayed you… Fearing that the people, who you cared for most in this world, did not share the same emotion, the same feeling for you. Suddenly a pain as if my very soul was being ripped apart of it self takes hold of me.

This time I scream. My wail of torment, an unholy matrimony of agony and pain of two souls, two beings fused in one. I am awake through all this, my mind not once letting me shut down into sweet darkness, I open my eyes and see before me the form of the other. _"Hunter! Fight back! Do not let them separate us! We can be one! We can be strong together! We can rule all with our iron fist!"_ I look at this spectra, he seems so worried, afraid and frightened… "I have nothing left to fight for… Just leave me please…" I say to him, _"Hunter! You ignorant fool! You will be the death of your race, do you hear me! You will kill your own people!" _"Just go away… I wish not to hear more of your mad logic, for fear it may consume me, breathe me into its grip and never let go… You are nothing… Nothing more then a whisper on the wind…"

"_COLT!" _"The other screeches at me within my mind, the demon's call pierces my whole body, it lances through me like a sword. I wither in agony as the last strands between us are cut. I hollow again, body and soul feeling as if they are being torn apart, ripped asunder. The pain does not die down after his ethereal form disappears either, yet intensifies in the wake of his absence.

"YES! Oh how this feels! To think, nothing can stop me! Nothing compares to me! I am more powerful then Falz or Olga Flow! I am truly a god!" Sojorian screams in pure ecstasy. His eyes flash a bright glow of red and yellow, his body flares up with a sudden upheaval of technique energy and then it returns to normal. He turns to Colt now, "Take him away, if he survives the night, we may have further use of him… If not, dump his body into the ocean… The creatures look rather hungry. Hehe, AHAHAHAHA!"

Writhing in pain, and torment I know nothing but darkness and agony. I scream and holler as the pain racks my body, never once does it relent, never allowing my body to become use to its glare. Never do I feel the sweet bliss of darkness either. I do not know its warm glow, yet how I yearn for it now, I beseech the darkness to take me, to kill me and let me by free of this horrid nightmare. Yet one memory keeps me from succeeding, one glaring drawing in my mind does not allow such sweet defeat come to me… The young RAcaseal, my mother… Stands before my minds eye, looking, watching, holding her hand out to mine own. I reach for hers, to hold it. She grasps mine with her small metallic hands. They feel warm and loving; she looks into my eyes with her own bright blue owns, "Don't give up Colt. Don't give up." Is all she says to me…

I writher in pain all night, my mind never able to shut down, never allowed to admit defeat. The searing pain of my body is intense beyond my own feeble mind's ability to comprehend. I convulse in pure pain and terror. Feeling as if every fiber, every tiny spec of my soul and body is on fire, being ripped apart, sliced, shot, stabbed and crushed. Morning comes, with it though, no renewed hope of the pain letting go. I look to my right as the door opens, I see Serena… Standing there watching me wither in pain. She looks at me through her glasses, walks over and kicks me in my stomach. I instinctively double over, even though the pain she has just sent through me is a mere pleasure to what I am going through.

"So you lived… This is a rather… Interesting find… I hope you continue to live… Heh, you should stop feeling the pain by tomorrow morning… That is, if you survive that long. Hahaha, take care Colt… You worthless prototype." With those final words she spits on my face, even though the pain I am in prevents me from standing and killing her, I rise my hand against the torment within my body and wipe my face clean. She stares at me daunted by the very fact I can even breathe much less move my whole arm, through controlled sobs of anger and pain I say only these words to her, "Get… The… Hell… Out… Of… My… Sight… Whore…"

She steps back from me tries to mouth something to me, stops looks down at me and just laughs. Laughs an evil scornful laugh and exits through the open cell door, closing it as she goes, closing it on my last hopes of freedom. My chest heaving with pain and anger rises and falls as my temper slowly boils down to nothing. The pain returns again, stronger then before. My body contorts into an unimaginable shape, one I could never hope to achieve on my own. "Gaahhhh! What is this pain! Its as if I… I… I don't know! AHHHHH!" My cries of agony only reflect off the cold dark walls of cell, returning to my ears only to mock me in my struggle to live…

The rocks have her pinned down now. Yet she has to get up she just has to, she can't let that HUcast go with out a fight. If not Colt may die. She just has to get up! Cranberry suddenly screams, willing the rocks around and on top of her to move, flee from her presence, a sudden surge of technique energy in the form of a Rafoie consumes the rocks, melting or blasting them into tiny pieces. As the smoke and dust clears, Cranberry slowly rises to her feet, she wavers for a moment as the haze slowly leaves her fatigued mind. Reaching into her storage device by her waste she pulls forth a Trifluid and Dimate. She quickly pops the two capsules into her mouth breaks them open and swallows.

The contents slowly drift through her fatigued body, washing away some of the haze. Her wounds begin to heal over, her mind clears even more. She opens her eyes and stares at the empty hall before her… "Colt? Colt, where are you?" No answer, "Mint? Mint are you all right?" Again only silence greets her ears. She looks around the area, no sign of disturbance other then her Rafoie blast indicates a sign of life, if Mint was caught in the blast there should be some sign of her, whether it be charred or not, there should still be one… Cranberry doesn't find any… "I don't like this at all… Something… Just doesn't feel right… Come on Sato, we have to go." The Mag appears behind Cran's left shoulder twitches once and then falls in behind her as she begins to race out of the dim hall. Cranberry's fears become alive now, eating at her mind's dark corners, making her heart race and jump with fright at every sound that echoes in the long dark hall.

"Where is he? Where is Colt…? He couldn't have lost… Could he?" Her mind races with the idea. Stops her self short of hysteria and rethinks things over. "No he may have lost but he did not die… He is alive… I just know he is…" Her mind set on the fragment of hope that has begun to blossom, she charges ahead into the dark to find the other three in the mines now, hoping they are well and together maybe they can find Colt before he is lost forever…

A second, sudden explosion rocks the hall Samus, Mewone and Sage are in. The sound of the sudden explosion echoing off the walls and floor, making it as if the whole tunnel will collapse in around them at any moment. "That was not a good sign…" Sage says his strength returning, able to walk on his own now, he turns back to stare at the neon lights towards the fork in the tunnel they had taken. "… I don't like this… Samus, are you able to tell what generated those two explosions?"

The RAcast turns towards the noise of the explosion stops and computes…. "Negative, insufficient data. Speculation is the best I can do without more hard data, I am sorry." "Give us your best guess then…" Sage already fearing what the RAcast's computer voice will tell him. "… The first was caused by a device of some kind, easily carry able… The other… Much more… concentrated… As if it were a tech of some kind…" "… Not good, Mewone, Samus we have to turn back now." "Why Sage? I don't see the point, so we felt a tremor big deal, which could be anything considering how old and run down this place is." "… That is not my concern… Don't you find it odd how two powerful explosions took place mere minutes after one another?"

The blue robed Force looks down at his hands and feet ponders what the other has said, shakes his head and says, "Very well… Let's go back; I still say there is nothing they can't handle down there though." Sage pulls ahead of the other two worry filling his mind. Mewone stares at his brown haired counter part and mutters to himself. "… I just wish this would be over with… I need that data…" "Did you say something?" Samus the RAcast turns his head, his visor hiding his eyes. Mewone looks up at the Ranger, scowls and replies. "No… It's nothing… Nothing at all…"

My eyes snap open, terror, pain and horror reflect in them. I search wildly around the cell I am now in, I stand, noticing the pain has subsided… She was right it was mostly gone, now. Small torrents still wash over me, nothing compared to what I knew. I look around the cell noticing very few things, a make shift bed at best, although I never made it to feel its minimal comfort. I look towards the ceiling and walls, noticing windows that stare out into the sea… "I… I am underwater?" I mouth aloud to myself, unable to fathom how I was able to get here…

A noise, the click of high heels and the scuff of battle shoes, draws my attention to the door of my cell again. I turn and stare into the eyes of Serena and Mint, I scowl at both asking in a tone of no emotion "What do you want?" They both look at me smile coyly and laugh, "Sojorian has need of you, it seems he is rather, pleased that you lived through the separation process, I on the other hand am quite disappointed… You should have died in the process, if not from the initial fraction then the resulting pain upon your body, all the research says so."

I merely stare at her complexion, short blonde hair, half rimmed glasses, and light teal eyes…. Almost the color of my own, except… Mine are a much darker cyan, as if they have a mix of piercing blue within them… I turn towards Mint now, my heart fills with sadness and rage, how could I have fallen for such a simple ploy? The thoughts enter my mind again, "What of the others… Will they betray you, can you trust them. What of the others… How ignorant can you be…? What of the others, you are all alone now…What of the others…" I cringe at these precepts of my mind. She notices my scowl and laughs, "What Colt? Are you surprised you were so easy to fool? Surprised I played you so well?"

I say nothing to her, rage begins to enter my eyes, blood boils in me, my hands clench into fists. Technique energy flows to my hands, a small blue glow surrounds them, I fire off a wave of Gibarta at them. The technique forms and streaks towards the two. It stops at the bars, seems to try and break something but stops, a backlash comes towards me, the energy hits my body and I fall on to the ground.

Both laugh at me, Serena enters my cell now, looking down at me and laughing, "What Colt? Did you really think us that stupid of your abilities?" I stare at my own hands and laugh to myself slowly, "Why yes, I believe you have!" My hand shoots out grabbing her neck in its steel vice, I crush the life out of throat, her eyes bulge, fear, and death grip them. My hand squeezes fast and hard, draining the life out of her, I can feel it, her neck, mere seconds from breaking, snapping in two, if only for a few moments more I hold this, I will-….

I stop, loosen my grip upon her neck ever slightly now, a blade is to my throat. I look down to its red sheen, noticing its glow in the fluorescent light of the cell. Mint is behind me, a pair of Red Daggers to my throat, I swallow slowly and calmly, removing my hands from Serena. Serena pulls away fast, fear enthralls her being, pure terror is shown in her eyes. Her complexion now white, hysteria taking control of her. "Kill him! Do it! You saw he tried to kill me!" "… Serena, Sojorian said he wants him… Alive…" Mint slowly removes the daggers from me, draws back, and goes to stand beside Serena. Serena's eyes still hold pure terror, her hands go to where I held her life in them, a few seconds more and she would have been gone, her neck broken under the pressure I had put on it.

Serena's eyes race from me to Mint, trying to think of a reason to kill me, trying to provoke me into grasping to end her life again, trying to make it so I must be killed, I give her no reason. I stand now, my hands folded across my chest waiting, for their next move. Serena's gaze falls upon me again, with venom and pure terror, and horror in her voice she echoes softly to me, "You will die Colt, whether it is by my hands or some one else's…. You will die." With a swish of her lab coat, and the click of her high heels, she turns and streaks out of the cell, like a timid child who has just escaped a harsh punishment.

Mint falls in behind her and closes my cell door locking it as she leaves. Neither turns back as they continue on their way. I fall to the floor of my cell, and breathe a sigh of relief they never noticed my lifting the keys to my cell off Serena… Heh, now it was time to sink or swim, I only had one shot and I had better make it count, for this was my only chance. I look down to my wrist, the Purple Ring still there, I rub it a few moments, and then from my pocket I draw the other one. I grasp it in my right hand squeeze slightly and lay it upon the bed. "I am sorry, mom… I hope I live up to your dreams and expectations…Good bye…" With that, I take out the keys, find the correct one, twist within the lock, opening the door to the cold and dark silence of the hall, step through the door and never look back.

"There he is! Quick get him!" "Ahh for the love of God! They just don't quit!" I say to the damn walls to my back, pinned down by a hail of photon bullet fire ahead of me, unable to go back the way I came and that damned alarm not shutting the hell off either! "Gah! Damnit! Where the hell is there another door when you need one!" I screech to no one, noticing a sudden halt in their assault I decide to poke my head around the corner, and see what has happened. I turn my head around the corner, only to be greeted with a sudden burst of photonic fire. I reel my head back behind the wall, the closest bullet missing my head by mere inches. The bullets collide with the far wall, they burn out and sizzle against the metal, ripping and shredding holes in it like mere paper. "…. This, is not going to be good…"

There has got to be a way out of this… I think for a minute… Suddenly it hits me. Getting low to the ground, I place my hand on the metal surface and concentrate. "God I hope this works." Allowing the technique energy to flow through me, I slowly begin to cast RAbarta. The ice wave exudes from my body, and spreads, I hear the men scream for a mere instant, then laugh, "Heh look boys, the HUmar thinks he is a Force! HAHA!" I slowly laugh to myself, good, they aren't thinking ahead. After the round of RAbarta has been cast, I slowly once again, check around the corner, I have just enough time before more deadly bullets are let loose upon my skull to see they are now standing upon the thin patch of ice my technique has just created. Next I slowly begin to channel forth heat energy into twin balls of fire around my body. I let them lose, I check back around to see the guards have Flame barriers equipped upon their wrists. "Give it up HUmar! Your weak techs can't harm us!" "Maybe not alone they can't. But together is a whole different story!" I say these last words as I slam my hand, palm open into the puddle of water before. I let loose a RAzonde tech into the pool of water. The lights in the hall suddenly flash and convulse. The screams of the men pierce the dark hall.

Soon the smell of burnt flesh and groans of the wounded, enter my sense. I turn the corner; a generator must have kicked in somewhere, the lights flicker back on to display the grisly scene before my eyes. I cringe at how well it worked… The metal floor and water must have amplified the electric shock greater then I expected, of course math was never one of my better traits while I was on the fly. I see multiple guards burnt to death, their skin blackened, their scared eyes bulging wide and white, death having claimed them almost instantly, when the electricity passed through their meager bodies. Others surround them, these less fortunate did not die as quickly as their brethren, instead their faces appear in masks of pain and horror, their bodies not as blackened by the shock but still there is no undamaged skin upon them. The last few that did not die are left to stare at the ceiling convulsing, their bodies still carrying the current through them as the last of it dies off.

Staring down at them, a twinge of guilt passes through me, I begin to run past them suddenly an arm shoots out and grabs me, I whirl my head, panic and terror strike my eyes. "You will not escape alive… Hu…unter…" The man dies and his arm falls.. I catch my breath momentarily, the shock slowly passing. "… I had best move, no time to mourn the dead…" I start once again. Turning to my right I head down a hall, voices sound over the wailing alarm, "Hurry! Find him!" "Damnit…" I think to myself, there has got to be a way out. I look to my left, and see a room; I dive in and shut the door. I press against it and listen. My breathing catching in my throat, fearing the very breath I let out will give me away, why am I breathing so loud? It's louder then the alarm…. How can they not hear it! Footsteps sound, I hold my breath, "Hurry, he couldn't have gotten far, spread out and find him! You five down that hall you others with me. Lets move it!"

The footsteps pass and soon I am only left to listen to the faint alarm and the sound of my breathing… I slowly release the door handle from my death grip. My hand sore from grasping it so hard, the handle began even to bite into my palm. I look around and notice I am in a locker room. "Well… I might as well change, no use in keeping this old thing…" I strip and search the lockers. None seem to have a color I would like. I open the second to last locker and stop there inside it, sits a fresh and clean Hunters battle suit. Predominantly white in color, with strips and areas of black and light blues surrounding it. I pause… Look down at my Purple Ring… Not thinking twice after that I slowly put the suit on.

As I snap my Skyly ID back into its rightful place. I feel… Some how, at peace now… As if I have finally abandon my old false life, for this new one… All with the simple changing of suits. I take my black Hunter's garb look at it once more and then place it in the locker where my new white one was just stored. As I begin to shut the door, I look back to it; a tear comes to my eye… "… Good-bye, old friend… I will never forget you…" I close the door as the single tear rolls down my check, leaving it feeling cold and alone… I stare into a mirror that is close by. I see how much clearer, now the suit and my ring blend. I look my self over. "Hmm… I almost feel knightly… Heh, sadly that statement holds no weight, for I am no where near knight hood…" "… My title of Chain Sawd Knight… I wish I never had received that… It has only brought pain and fear into the hearts of many…." I stare into the mirror once again, my complexion showing no sign of the soul and I that were once bonded…" "Well, well, I must say, you do look, rather, Regal in that suit, hehe, too bad its about to be stained by your blood."

I turn slowly knowing the voice all to well… Mint is standing in the door way now, leaning against one side of the frame. She smiles and claps her hands slowly. Clap…Clap…Clap "Well, now… Enough small talk… Lets end this Colt. One final duel." She draws forth a Twin Blaze. I am weaponless… "Here, Catch, can't have you fighting with out a weapon now can we?" I reach into the air as a red box flies my way. I grasp it and open it, within it sits, a Demolition Comet. I grab the twin saber from its box and activate the deadly weapon. Its sides expand and its tiny blades on either end of the staffs come forth. Its pink photons activating in the fluorescent light, giving a small low glow as the light reflects off them… "…" I fall silent, she steps out of the door and too the hall. I follow suit she stands at one end, I at the other.

I drop the Demolition Comet to the ground, it clatters in the vacuum of noise, the only sound heard. I slam my foot upon the blade's staff, shattering it in two, the blade splintering, as the flames of defiance roar into my eyes. "I will not take your pity. I will win on my own." "…You are a fool Colt, a pure and simple fool. You can not hope to win!" "… You may think I am a fool, you may think I can not win, yet I have already won. I have won against my own heart… For I have the courage to defeat you now, my former friend. Good Bye Mint." I jump back sliding on my feet, releasing as I go a Foie tech at her. She merely shrugs, and releases a Barta attack of her own to counter it. The two techs clash, her ice type easily over powers my own Foie, I concentrate, gathering heat energy around myself, I then release it, incasing the encroaching wave of ice in a single blast of Rafoie. A sudden wall of hot, liquid steam erupts forth from the two techs colliding into one another.

As the steam rises, and blankets the hall, in its enshrouding mist, I run down the hall to my right, hearing her jeers, and taunts as I go, "Nice tactic Colt, it will not serve you well though, Your time to die is at hand, now face it." I will not die; I shall not fall this day. These words blur in my head, as I run head long down the darkened hall, the power having been knocked out here as well, Suddenly a huge door looms into my sight, It is cracked open enough for me to slip through, I do so with out a second thought that the danger behind this door, could be worse then the one I face now.

I slow down as I enter the hallowed hall, squinting, my, eyes to see in the low light given off by displays and test tubes alike. I screen the area, hoping to see if there is any threat that I overlooked in my haste to enter this room to escape another. My eyes fall upon something, a display of some kind, monitors hum nosily around it as they compute data, statistics and tactics alike. I stare into the display and notice a purple floating blade. I finger the case, wondering what could be so special about this sword it pulsates, as my hand draws near it. I pull my hand back instinctively, afraid I may cause more harm then good.

Foot steps that are not my own echo in the hall, I whirl on my heels, and stare into the eyes of her. I look to my right and see the blade, going against reason, I form my hand into a fist and slam it against the glass case. The case shatters with a deafening crack, shards fly everywhere, fading into the darkness, the blade still hangs in the air, as if not concerned with time, as if it does not follow our own set of rules and beliefs, but listens to its own set of accords at its own will. I grasp for the blade into my hands.

I feel it as if a new energy has surged through me. The smooth handle, fits into my hand like a glove, the glossy purple blade wavers and bends the light to its knees whenever it catches it in the darkness. "You can control the Lavis... No one should be able to except for Sojorian now… Yet you can… What are you…?" I say nothing and just stare at the blade, the name echoes in my head… "Lavis…" "Just what makes you so special, Lavis?" "…Its over Colt… NOW DIE!" Mint Charges me, I feel a sudden surge of raw power I have never known or felt of before, it conducts into the Lavis, acting on pure instinct of the power, I lash out with the brand.

Sudden waves of energy lance from the blades tip, and travel on the ground like thunder. Mint has no time to react, the waves slam into her, tearing her apart as the energy lances from the ground to her body. She falls to the ground. I soon let go of the hold I have on the Wave Strike, suddenly my skin becomes pale, I become cold and weak, my body, nearly doubling over in exhaustion. "Wha-…What's happening to me…" I can barley utter the words without blacking out. "Although you may be able to control the Lavis, its power still holds control over you. That attack you just used, although powerful it comes at a hefty price, you must give up part of your own strength to bring forth, invoke that power."

Mint stands again, her fatigue and wounds gone, I see the remains of a Trimate and Sol Atomizer, by her feet. She charges me now, her twin blaze held above her head slightly; ready to cleave my own in two. I barley have the strength to carry this blade. If only I had the strength. Using every ounce of will and strength, I lift the blade and send it forward, just as Mint reaches me… The Lavis makes contact with a body, I watch as the blade slips through her chest as if it were mere water. The blade protrudes from her back. Her body has used its own momentum against itself; she has slammed head on into the blade and did not stop until she reached the hilt.

"Well… Colt, it looks like I was wrong. Cough, Cough" Mint says as a blood bubble forms in her mouth and pops. I push her off my blade and on to the cold concrete floor below. I stand now, using the Lavis for support, she speaks again. "It was not your blood that would drench you this day, but my own." I looked towards the shoulder where she had been just seconds before, she is right it is drowned in an iron red color. She coughs again, another blood bubble rising from her throat through open mouth to pop in her face. "Well I guess, Cough, Cough… This is it… Good bye, Colt." With that she dies soundlessly. "…." I say nothing, can think of nothing to say, my anger will not let me.

I slowly turn from the grisly scene as her life slowly seeps out of her body and collects in a red pool around her. I turn towards another display case it holds in it another weapon, a Partisan of some kind. I read the computer screen nearby its name soon appears, as data flows to from the hard drive to the database in another part of the facility. I stare at the strange blade in wonder. "… Tears Partisan…" I touch the glass, a small crack is heard, and then the glass slowly tumbles away beneath my touch.

I pull my hand back, afraid I may have alerted another alarm some where, I wait, nothing comes to my ears. I slowly grasp the handle of the blade. I pull the blade down from its case, it feels warm to the touch, the photons in the weapon slowly activate, its blade sprouting from its tip. A light brown in color, the blade gives off a sense of security; I also feel a slight weight upon my mental strength, now as I hold the brand, much like I feel a small tug on my physical strength when I hold the Lavis… Foot steps sound behind me; I turn around to face them. "There he is! Don't let him escape!"

The armed guards rush me, with Calibers and Rippers. I swing my blade hoping to block some of the blades if any, I feel strange sensation course through me once again, I grasp for it. I take it in the vice hold of my mind and unleash it through my blade. The Partisan explodes with power, shattering through the blades of the guards easily… It also shatters the guards in two as well. The top half of their bodies fly back and hit the wall, their lower portions merely stand for a second more, and then crumple to the floor below, oozing out blood into one huge sea of red.

I breathe heavily now, falling to one knee, as I try to breathe, the tax and slight pain that comes with it, evaporating from my mind. These two weapons… One weapon taxes the mind, the other, takes its debt from the body. Two weapons, two powers, both, either deadly to user or enemy… "Pant, pant such, gah, raw power, what were they making here…? What does he plan…? Sojorian… What do you want from me…" I slowly push myself to stand on both feet now, my head still turned to the floor, sweat slowly drips from my brow and nose, falling to the floor in small patters.

The fatigue slowly seeping out from my body, "Such… Power…" I whisper to the shadows, I turn towards the open door and walk towards it, averting my eyes from the torn up guards, away from the body of Mint. I slowly come to the opening of the door, take one final look back, step through the opening, and hit the ground running.

"So… We begin again… Another chase, another time, to hunt him. Achrion, are you ready?" "Yes I am Sojorian." Achrion says the FOmar, Sojorian turns to stare at the display screens again, watching as Colt tries to desperately make his escape. "Find him Achrion, bring him back… Dead or Alive, I care not which it is… Bring him back." "…. Yes, Sojorian…" Achrion says his voice distant even for an Android, his mind already on the task of bringing Colt back. "Good… Now go." Achrion disappears from sight, with but a whim. His form gone even before the light can detect it has left.

Sojorian peers inside himself now, watching as the other tries to via for power over this body but can not, it is slowly losing the battle and is becoming one, with him… "You lose Athanos… Now except it we are one, you said you always wanted a body… You just never said you had to be the one in control or be who you are all together… AHAHAHA!" With those final words the two souls join, becoming one. Sojorian's eyes flash a bright blood red, then return to normal, he speaks again, his voice distant and hallow, and yet filled with venom and malice all at once. "Now then Colt, lets see you survive, the curse of those twin blades. Lavis and Tears Partisan, can you live through their taxation, or will you fall, into their grasp, and lose your very life in the processes… Let us see you live, oh Purple Ring Knight, prove your valor here and now! Prove to us, just how great your will and word are! Ahaha, AHAHAHA!"

A sudden thunder slams into my mind, a surge of raw anguish. I grasp my head in my hands, falling to my knees, I holler in pain. "GAHHH! What is this?" "Now! Lets see you live through this Colt! Die before my hand! Die! Tainted Phoenix, Arise from your unholy ashes and consume him! Consume this heathen, who would defile our sacred plan!" I open my eyes and peer before me, darkness threatens to encircle me, envelope me and bring my down, break my mind in two and destroy me.

"I… Will… Not… FALL!" I scream in rage. The darkness fades, the pain slowly melts away as well. I breathe heavily, my fatigue catching me again. I slowly pull myself to my feet, I look up and down the hall again, and then take off running, never noticing, the figure behind me or how my Purple Ring reacted to the darkness that had tried to enclose me…

A sudden treble wakes through the facility. I stumble forward, trying to maintain my balance as the quaking slowly begins to fade. Soon I regain my footing and stop. Waiting to see if an after shock shall arise… None comes, "… This is not good… Not good at all…" I whisper to myself. Looking back to see if all is well, seeing nothing I take off running again.

Achrion steps from the shadows, mildly amused with the new development. "Quite agreed Colt, this is not good at all. Hmm, I wonder how much death and destruction this one shall cause. Heh, Oh well I do hope to have a front row seat to it, it should be, rather… Exciting to watch, Hehe, Ahaha…" Achrion soon returns to the shadows and continues to follow Colt, without a sound or trace of him to be seen.

Sojorian awakes from his trance as his room quakes and rocks with the sudden tremble of the building. "… So, he is awake now, well, well… This is unexpected… Yet not an un-welcome happening… Hmm, I wonder what caused it." Sojorian turns towards the monitors again, "Ahh of course, Colt… Hmm well they are brethren in a sense… Let us watch and wait for their meeting, it will be… Rather, deadly I must say. Heh"

The lone guard stirs from his slumber, His chair falling forward on to its front legs, his feet hitting the floor with a dull thud. "Huh? What was that?" Nothing happens, thinking it was a mere drop of water, he returns to his position to resume his nap, the floor then quakes, shaking violently, the guard is thrown from his chair. Landing face first on the floor he groans, rising slowly to his feet he stares towards the tank he was guarding. Nothing appears wrong, all the monitors show green, biorhythms appeared normal…

The guard gets up and turns, begins to brush himself off, and then stops, a small tink of glass brings his attention back to the tank. He stares at it, a crack is heard, a small scar appears on the glossed glass tank. It breaks, sending torrents of water forth drowning the guard. He comes up, spurting and gasping for air. There in the mist and water stands a FOmar. About six feet tall, Cyan hair, blue eyes, adorned in white robe, his hair is matted to his face. "Wha-What the hell! You shouldn't be able to awake! AHHH!" The guard whirls on the FOmar, firing off his Yask 2000 Hand gun at him, a collector's item, the other guards called it, but this "old relic" Held power, the bullets could rip through anything.

The FOmar turns his head up to stare at the guard, bearing his hand forward; he releases a Gibarta blast from it. The ice freezes the bullets, dropping them to the ground, cold and dead. The FOmar quickly unleashes a Barta wave towards the guard freezing his feet in place. Terrified and unable to move the guard goes white, losing color and blood through out his body. The FOmar turns his face towards him, whipping his hair back, water sprays forth from his hair. The tiny droplets shimmer in the air before falling in the ground, disappearing out of the light.

He turns now, his eyes upon the guard, his hand raised to him, purple and white lights swirl and mix in his hand, dark and light energy mingle as if one, he speaks now, "May thy sins be purged… Divine Chaos!" The guard hears a sudden ripping of metal and steel from above his head, he stares up towards the noise. His fear gripped mind controls him, he hears a demon ripping the roof above him apart, tearing at it as if blood thirsty, its fangs dripping with saliva, just oozing to taste his soft flesh and warm blood. A sudden down pour of light, falls upon the guard; he only has time to utter one, agonized, filled scream of horror as the light envelops him. His body, gone now… The FOmar is alone in the dark room, still dripping from the water that contained him in that tank. He shakes his robes, pulling form it, a light purple bandana, taking care, he brushes his hair back with his hands, and ties the bandana around his head. He looks around himself and walks towards the door, he opens it, as he leaves, the guards screams still echo in the room behind him, even though his body and soul are long gone, his terrified cry still remains, the cry of a man, who lost his soul…


	13. Twins of Chaos

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Twins of Chaos**

An unholy cry pierces my ears, I spin around looking for the source of the sound, none comes. Metallic footsteps echo in my mind, I whirl frantically, searching, seeing, trying to find their source, no one is near me, no one is in the hall, I am alone… Yet, I can still hear the faint footsteps, the faint footsteps of one person, walking, with purpose, knowing their goal. I turn again uneasy, feeling… Different, as if, something has awakened, something that is similar to me… The dried blood on my white Hunter's garb cracks and splinters off, leaving the shoulder of my battle suit stained a light hew of red.

I continue on, putting as much distance between me, and the wails of torment that radiate from below. My weapons clinking against one another as I go, each time one contacts my body, I feel the tax begin, their powers constricting my strength, drawing it into them. My physical and mental states, waning, fade, with each contact, each brush from the weapons. I begin to breathe harder, and wane in and out of darkness, I force my eyes open, my mind sharp, pain radiates through my body as I force it to deny the rest it craves from wielding these weapons. The strain grows, with each step, each breath I draw, the burden increase, amplifying it, growing as I continue on.

Lavis, Tears Partisan… Two unknown weapons, each with fully unrealized power… One comes in contact with my body. My knees become weak, I stumble, my breath drawn in short shallow gasps, it was the Lavis. I shakily steady myself on my feet again, I continue onward, the two blades making contact with me on occasion. My body struggling to restrain me so that it could rest, I never allow myself that, I must get out of here, I must find out where I am. I must know if Cranberry, Samus, Sage and Mewone are all right, I must find them before Sojorian does…

He slowly ascends the stairs, his robes dripping, his hair, having finally dried under the glow of the fluorescence lights over head, some occasionally winking in and out, showing the true age of this facility. His hair, it shows now, in a light teal and cyan color, spiked towards the back a bit, his bangs held out of his eyes by a light purple bandana. He ascends the stairs, a guard rushes past him, the sound of an alarm, only a small blur in his ears, "Hey! Wait! Who are you!" The FOmar continues on his way forward path ignoring the guard, "I said who are you! Answer now or I will fire!" The FOmar continues on, the guard dead set in his path, "I warned you, now die!" the guard opens fire upon the FOmar, his Vulcan letting loose a hail of photon bullets towards its target. The FOmar merely stands still suddenly, brings his right arm up to bear, his palm open wide, electricity courses through his hand, crackling in the dead air, drowning out the noise of the wailing alarm, the energy jumping from finger tip to finger tip, with a defiant hiss and screech of anger, demanding to be let loose.

Suddenly he release the energy forward, a great wave of electricity surges forth, hop scotching across the bullets, as mere stepping stones in a pond, each one it touches, the photons instantly died, the bullet flashes out of existence. Finally the strike reaches its target, it crashes with the guards body, sending him backwards into a wall at the end of a twenty-foot hall. The guard, paralyzed and impaled by a pipe from within the wall structure it self, can only watch, and feel his life slip away as the blood drains from his wound. The FOmar slowly comes up to him, bends down to his level, stares at him with eyes of a piercing blue, and asks, " Where is my twin…?" The guard stares at him as the last of his life begins to fade, he utters a laugh "I have no idea what you are talking about, you worthless creation gone wrong."

The guard coughs, blood, dribbles froth from his mouth, his eyes begin to roll back in his head, his body begins to lax, a jolt is sent through him, his heart jumps and begins to pump again. Intense pain a-washes the guard as he is lifted from the fringe of peaceful death, to be dropped back onto the spike of reality. The FOmar grips the mans uniform collar, he speaks again, vengeance, wrath, menace, sadness, and desperation, all roll on to his tongue as he speaks to the guard, "I shall ask once more, … Where is my twin?"

The guard merely looks to him and laughs, "Even if I knew, I would never tell an abomination what he desirers!" The FOmar stares at the guard, releases his collar, and stands. The guard stares at the FOmar, his white robes with trimmings of gold, and areas of purple suddenly seem to shimmer, blowing in a breeze that does not exist. "I have asked you twice now, twice you have denied me my answer… Your life is forfeit… Now Die…" The FOmar, holds his right hand out, palm open, light tech energy begins to gather within it, the symbol upon his right glove, glares with intensity as it to becomes pure white, the guard stares at him, fear grips his eyes, madness over takes his mind, "I truly have witnessed, the birth of, HolyChaos…" HolyChaos then releases the Grants attack into the guard, streams of light appear all around the guard. They suddenly impale their victim, cutting through him as if he were a mere blade of grass. Cut down, the guard's eyes lull into the back of his skull, his body lax. No blood drips from the holes in his body where knifes of light impaled him.

"I shall not cower… Death Calls you." HolyChaos, his hand returning to his side, begins to walk down the halls again. Still searching, for his twin… "I must find him… Or all is lost…" His footsteps, softly letting out a metal ring in the dark hall, the only sound in the void less world that stands before him…

"Hurry, you two! Come one! We are almost there!" Sage says to his two companions, as they trail behind his ever-increasing pace. "They must be all right… I know Cran will be… I just hope the others are as well." Sage, these thoughts cloud his mind, his brow knit in worry. "Even though I have but just met him… I, feel as if… Colt, Just be all right, all of you please."

Mewone stares ahead as Sage moves faster and faster as they approach the fork. "Heh, worried much is he?" Samus simply nods his head in agreement and returns his gaze forward. Mewone, looks to his feet as he walks along, finally able to walk on his own again, "Damn… This is taking far to long. I need that data… Or else…" "Is something troubling you?" Mewone's, head whips up, his eyes meet the RAcast's visor, his eyes hid behind it as always, unlikely they could tell him of the Cast's emotions at any rate. "…Its nothing, I, just have, a headache, that is all…" Samus stares at the force, his gray hair out of place ever slightly, his bandana to hold his bangs back is loose, letting some of his hair slip into his eyes as he walks. The sleeves of his robes are drenched in sweat, his brow begins to glisten again in the fading neon lights, he wipes it this time with his rights sleeve.

Cranberry streaks towards the end of the hall, her legs pumping her small lithe body as fast as they can. "Come on, Come on! Just a bit more!" She says to herself, her mind focusing on the fork in the road that slowly comes more and more into focus. She lightly fingers the Blue Ring upon her arm. A treasured reminder to her, won, earned, and given to a friend, She and her wear them always, symbolizing their bond for one another, the ring always gave her strength, whether she was merely starring at it. Or she was feeling it slip between her fingers, just the presence of it gave her strength, strength to draw upon when needed.

She comes upon the fork, wheels to the left, taking the path neglected by them before. Suddenly a mass of brown flies into her view, she collides with a tall brown object that stumbles backwards and lands with a solid thud followed by the classic "Ow." Cranberry, landing upon her butt, shakes her head back and forth, clearing her vision, her red bow bobbing back and forth with her hair. As she re-focuses she hears a familiar voice drift into her ears, "Cran? Are you all right?" She directs her gaze skyward, to see Sage standing above her, a smile of relief and happiness over his face.

"Sage! Your all right!" Cranberry jumps to her feet, obvious delight, and joy radiate from her voice. Sage, simply smiles down upon her, "Yes, we are all right." Cranberry looks behind Sage, his hand motioning to the growing hallway, they're coming up behind him, are Samus and Mewone, both walking, seeing them brings another small smile to her face.

"Cran… Where are the other two? Where is Colt and Mint?" Cranberry's face pales as these two questions roll from Sage's tongue. "… I …I don't know where they are…" Her head hangs low, not one to show much emotion Cranberry simply hangs her head down, hoping she will find them soon. Sage ponders on this, his mind all ready thinking of what could have happened. His brow knits in frustration, a headache begins to form, his hand instinctively moves to his temples and begins to rub them with his index finger and thumb, hoping to relieve some of the tension. The footsteps of Mewone and Samus die down shortly, there presence now easily felt in his mind. Sage, thinking of nothing else, probes the area of the mines with his own mind. He among forces has this unique ability. He senses nothing of Colt or Mint…. Of course, Colt, was always harder to detect oddly…

"Sage…?" The others ask in unison, putting him off balance for a minute, only to regain it quickly, along with the increasing strength of his headache. His fingers continue gently moving back and forth across his temples, the stress being relieved somewhat. "… I cannot feel them… They are not in the Mines anymore. Cran, what happened back there?"

Cranberry, looks towards the others, their gazes now drawn to her. "… A green HUcast came; apparently Colt had found what he needed here, in the Mines… Yet, he didn't have time to fully read the data or copy it before it was destroyed by the HUcast, Achrion was what he called himself I believe. A fight began between him and Colt, Colt was unable to fight on his own, he became caught up he fell and the HUcast had his back to me. I took my opportunity, it drained me, but Colt returned to my side and asked me how I was. The HUcast afterwards got up from the attack, his back melted and oozing from the heat of my Foie attack. Wires snapped and crackled, his insides were melting as well. Then, I wish to never see this horror again, his body… It, it began to grow, reform, as if he was an unholy being."

"Wait… He was able to regenerate his metal shell and wiring!" Sage asks her, utter chaos rages in his eyes. "Cran, are you sure of this… Are you absolutely sure he was able to do this…"

Cranberry only nods her head, her eyes still half frozen in place, fixated somewhere far off…. "After his body regenerated, he seemed… Faster, stronger, deadlier, he was a machine designed for death, nothing more and nothing less. His speed, it was unmatched. I, I don't know how, but he was able to catch my Windmills thrown blade. His speed, it was daunting, I could only stare…." Cranberry, her knees slightly wobbling, her eyes start to gleam with water. "Cran… What happened next…" He… He then crushed the blades with his bare hands, shattering them to dust and ashes. He then charged Colt, Colt did not have a chance to react or think, the HUcast seemed to be in two places at once to me, where he was standing and also holding Colt off the ground, Colt's neck in his vice grip of death. He, He told us to make choice, our weapons, or his life… I, I couldn't do anything… I'm sorry everyone." Cranberry, the dam that has always held her emotions back, it now crumbles, the water pouring free now. "Cran… You did what was right, you saved his life, I know Colt saw that, I know he could never be angry at you for something so small Cran."

Cranberry nods, still not fully convinced. "They fought then, both drawing their blades, Achrion, holding a Yasha, Colt drawing forth his Yamato… Colt's blade did not stand a chance… The Yasha decimated Yamato, Achrion… He as well, caught one of the blades in his hand and crushed it… Colt then drew a handgun and fired on him, Achrion deflected every shot with his Yasha, as if he had done this so many times before. I tried to help, I fired off another Foie aiming it at the monsters back, but he sensed it coming, some how knew when to dodge, Colt then took the attack, I fell to my knees after that, Colt only looked at me and smiled… Why does he have to be like that! Why, why can't he yell at us! It makes everything so hard now!"

Cranberry screeches these questions to the other three, none have an answer that is worthy, looks down cast, trying to pull light from shadow. Cranberry merely lets another quite sob go, "They fought then again, and neither winning both deadlocked with the other. Achrion, then stopped, withdrew from the melee, and threw something behind his back, an explosion occurred; Mint and I were covered from derby, I heard Colt then, calling out to us, beseeching us to answer, I tried but… I lost consciousness after that. When I awoke again, I was still trapped, I managed, to dig, well more accurately blow the derby apart, I saw no sign of anyone… Not even Mint… I then ran to find you all, this is where I ended up."

Sage, quietly ponders, His headache still draining him, the pain and tension rising again, his eyes close in frustration and pain. "Where could they have gone."? "…Mint, are you sure you saw no sign of anyone else in that chamber." "Yes Sage, I am positive, why is that important. Both could be gone or dead by now!" "I doubt it Cran, every time you saw this HUcast, he had a chance to kill Colt, a chance to squeeze the life from him, no, there is a reason he wants Colt… Alive… I… Just don't know it yet, also… Mint is against us…"

"What? What do you mean, against us? She can't be." His headache increasing even further, Sages temples become a vice of molten steel, the pain radiates from them, "Cran… Don't you find it odd that you are able to find no trace of her once you were freed? Don't you find it odd that never once you saw her body, a remnant of it, or heard her cries of terror or for help?" Cran falls silent, his words becoming clear as ice now, her footing shakes, her hands clench, fists form, knuckles white, her whole body shakes with rage. "So all this time, all this time she was merely playing us all, just waiting for her chance to help them…" "Cranberry… Are you all right?" It's Mewone, who asks now, his eyes roaming to find hers. "… It's not easy… To think that an ally might betray you, it's not easy to realize you have been fooled… The only thing you can do though is move on, we still need to find Colt right?"

Cranberry lifts her head, her small brown eyes, and stares into Mewone's. "…You're right…" Mewone smiles, "Now the only questions is, where are they." Cranberry ponders this, "…I can only think of one place that could hold what they need… It's no where near here though." Sage, his headache slowly fading now, turns to Cranberry, the pain in his eyes, replaced by a look of fear and horror, "Cran… You don't mean… Oh god no…" "Yes, Sage, I believe he was taken to the Seabed Facilities, on the Island of Gal De Val…"

"Hmmm, how quaint, the abomination searches for the other." Sojorian stares at his monitors, HolyChaos stares right back at him, His eyes twinge and the image winks out. "… Blast that one… He was the always the more destructive one… Guards, go fix that camera as well." "Sir, that is the sixth one in twenty minutes, we can't repair all of them so fast-." "Do you get paid or keep breathing by expressing your opinion soldier?" The soldier stares at Sojorian now, his face pale as new fallen snow on a moon full night, "Ahh, Uhh… No… No sir… I don't…" "Good, remember that next time you think to tell me how to operate this facility." "Yes Sir!" The soldier gives a crisp salute, turns one hundred and eighty degrees, and blots through the twin doors.

"Blasted help, always useless." Sojorian turns, his eyes, hallow, and expressionless to the world before him. His eyes dance across the monitors as more upon more winks out, each one seeing a final image of a FOmar dressed in white before it stops its transmission, "This is becoming a hassle… Serena." "…What do you want? You have your power, you are essentially a god? What can I bequeath you with now?" Sojorian's head weaves towards her, his red hallowed holes suddenly flare with hate, suffering, anger, menace, loathing, "I did not ask you to chide me woman… Release the Berla Biter, I want to test the extent of this one's powers…" Serena, a mental shock runs through her mind, it's not ready yet, there is no way in hell's fury its ready yet for this stage, "Sojorian, with all respect, the Biter is not ready for this kind of test, by ready I mean controllable of course." Her head lowering as his eyes blaze towards her, his soft foot steps transcend the quite office, heaven and hell mix, dance together as he approaches, demons, angles, immortals and gods, all rage within him.

".. Make it so, if not release it anyways, we can always hirer more help if need be, the human life here is easy to replace, it is nothing more then pocket change when compared to my destiny." His gaze, reverts back to the remaining monitors, he stares at the ones that hold Colt locked in their silent gaze. He reaches to his desk top, picking off an ear and microphone piece of the finely crafted woodwork. He fits both into place, an acknowledgement light winks on to the side of the earpiece, he hears movement from his contact but no breathing. "Achrion, pull back for now." Sojorian looks towards one of the monitors, he sees a shadow suddenly bend and stop, "Sir? What do you mean stop?" "We are releasing the Berla Biter now, I do not wish it harmed by you, I wish to gauge the strength of these two, either alone or together, and they shall fall or rise." "… Understood sir, I must warn you though, together… It may be too much for the Biter." Sojorian laughs at the prospect, "You worry too much Achrion, now return immediately, I have more… pressing issues, and it is of the ones you did not kill…"

"… I understand Sojorian, I'm on my way." Sojorian returns to the screens by then the shadow is gone, already on its way to carry out its deadly orders, the reaper anxiously twiddles his bony fingers upon the scythe, following Achrion as he works his way towards the surface, the reaper cares not which souls he claims this day. He is only enthused that he shall have many a new soul this day to harvest, for the crop is ripe and ready for the scythe to be swung at its heads.

Alone, afraid, and that damned beast wont go to sleep either, or at least it looks awake. He always hated having the night watch, for this thing, it always looked ready to eat him. The tech grumbles to himself some more, "Well this is what you get for being a low level grunt, nothing more then guard duty at night, at least you have a job that pays well for your kids and wife to eat. God knows the Government is screwed up enough all ready. Huh? What was that?" The man turns about, his lab coat swishing in the dead air, creating a sound within the silence, the fabric breaking the air. He stares at the tank, it doesn't move, at least the thing has now closed that damned eye. "I would hate to be the one to battle that thing…" He mutters to himself, he stares at his PDA, realizing he has a whole another batch of experiments and mutations of these life forms to look at and tend, this one being at the pinnacle of research, he checks the life monitors, notes once again they are in the green, turns with his lab coat rustling in the dank, stale air, he heads for the next one that demands his attention.

A bubble floats, to the top of the stasis tank, it sits at the top for mere moments, before it bursts, the creature stirs a little, its eye cringes, scrunching its lids even more. "Awaken my pet, awaken." The voice sounds in it's head, but it doesn't want to awaken, its comfortable here, it wants sleep, nothing more then sleep at the moment, "Awaken my pet, I have a task at hand, one where you get to kill." Its cyan eye opens slightly, showing more interest as the voice continues with its alluring sounds, wistful noise, and its hallowed whispers. "You have a task at hand now, capture it and show me how well you do, and you will be ready to server me, or are you content in that small tube?" The Berla Biter, shakes it self, more air bubbles froth toward the top. "Good I see you are eager to get started then, do not fail me." The voice dies, the Biter, is confused suddenly, where is the voice, two images flash before its eye, burned now into its memory, with a signal thought attached to them, kill…

The Biter thrashes about, bubbles are free forming now in the tank, it begins to rock back and forth as it continues to try and break free, these two are in the facility, it can feel it, taste it, smell their stench! The beast roars, "What the hell?" The tech rushes to see what is going on, he whirls around the corner, his lab coat flirting behind him with the rather dark wall, clearly not its type based on pure color and material alone. His eyes bulge, the tanks crashes forward, water, fluids and glass slide across the floor, mist develops from the sudden exposure of them warm water to the cool air.

The Berla Biter steps forth from the carnage, its muscular legs pumping full of blood, its twin arms moving up and down slightly, stretching testing their limits in this gravity nestled world. Glass cracks and shatters even more as it steps forward, its trademark noise masked by the sound of flowing water and shattering glass. The tech stares awe struck at the beast, Twenty feet in height and seventeen feet in length, the thing is a monster, and a perfection to science, this was only the beginning too, a final prototype before they began to make them faster, stronger, smarter, deadlier, and controllable all at once, this one was the pinnacle of that research, the only one of its brood to survive the birth and alterations in its DNA.

The beast rears back on its hind legs, standing another ten feet taller, the room was almost too small to contain it. Its feet slam to the ground below, its bellow masked by the clang of steel and metal bending, and breaking as it's feet crush the floor below, dents appear in the floor, close to crashing through to the floor below its feet had come. The cyan eye stares level at the floor, its head slowly perks up its eye glows red as it catches the tech in its gaze, the voice in its head, fills with rage and malice, "Kill all who stand in your way, do not worry about such maggots, get to the two and kill them both." The Berla Biter Roars and then prepares to charge, the tech is thunder struck, fear courses through his blood, he cant move, his legs are ice, stone and concrete. The Berla charges, the tech can only watch, that is if there was something to watch, to him it seems the Biter never moved, it was still locked down in its charge position aiming for him, yet he knows it has struck and killed him. How else would he be flying through the air? How does he know he is dead as well, because, his legs are adjacent, to his head…

"… It comes…" "Gahh, What do you mean it comes, you freak!" HolyChaos' gaze does not avert from the far off creature he feels, its madness reaching out to him, calling him. He drops the stunned soldier, and dashes down the ill lit hall, his feet, making no sound as his heels bounce upon the metal grating and tile floor. "Hey, Hey! Halt!" HolyChaos turns to stare back at the guard, his feet never stopping, "I told you I have no time for you, do not interfere or die…" The guard, physically shutters, remembering the FOmar's grip upon his neck, the guard reaches back to his throat and rubs, hoping to make the memory fade, as if it were a bad dream, a nightmare that nearly killed him.

"…. I told you to halt!" The guard remembering his place, fires off three rounds of his Holy Ray, the blue bolts of energy crackle and lance through the air towards the FOmar, HolyChaos turns his body around, he ducks under the first shot, he dodges to the left of the second shot and weaves down and to the right of the third shot, the last one barely missing an outcropped lock of his hair by mere inches. The guard stares, his jaw slack, his eyes wide, his voice, gone from his throat only stutters and gasps arise from it.

"… I warned you I had not the time to deal with you, now it seems I must make time… You have forced this upon your self… By my hand, I cleanse thy soul… Tempest Atonement!" Lighting energy crackles from HolyChaos' fingertips, it lances out towards its target in streaks of yellow and white. The attack slams into the guard, it latches on to him and drains him of life, like a leech it sucks at the breast of his soul, draining him, the attack then reels him back towards HolyChaos. His right hand charges with Light technique energy, as the guard comes within striking distance, the FOmar concentrates, giving his physical attacks a strength boost thanks to Shifta, the familiar red glow encompasses his hand.

As the guard is brought forth, HolyChaos slams his elbow into the guard's chest, knocking the wind from him, his arms go lax, HolyChaos slams his left foot into the guards hands knocking the Holy Ray from his grasp, it twirls in the air, hanging there in the pale light, the guard reaches for it, a grave misjudgment. HolyChaos, his fist glowing with light technique energy, slams his fist through the man's chest. His arm exploding froth from the dead guard's back, the guard's breathing lax, his eyes grow pale, and he slumps. HolyChaos removes the man from his arm. The Holy Ray falls to earth, HolyChaos reaches for it and grasps it in his hands, He stares at the weapon for a moment, knowing it would be wise of him to save his technique energy until needed. Taking the Holy Ray, he turns and runs. His feet creating no noise as he goes, the guards white eyes starring transfixed upon the ceiling where they last fell before he fell to the darkness. "I must find him… Or all is lost for us…"

My knees buckle again. I nearly crash to the floor this time, only my hands stopping my face from meeting the floor in an intimate way. "Come on, you got to get up, you got to keep moving. Can't stop now." Rising to my feet I slowly churn these out of my voice. I get up and take off running again, voices enter my hearing, "...uick! He went this way!" "Damn it… Gah, my head, my body, it all aches…" My vision blurs, I got to get out of here, I got to find a room to hide and rest in, before it's to late. I see a door ahead of me, my eyes spin, giving my not one choice but three, my head swims in the pain trying to find the right door.

I reach for the first door, I see it open, yet my face slams into a wall, not the right one, I reach for the middle door, and it's the right one. I tumble into the dark room, using my feet, I kick the door back to close, I sit in silence now, waiting, watching, my vision blurring even in the dark. My eyelids begin to grow heavy, my vision clouds, I reach for two capsules at my side, taking both in my mouth at once, I bite down, letting the contents drift into my body. The Trimate and Trifluid, refreshing my body and mind, yet the tax begins again with new endowed vigor and animosity, my mind bends, my body aches.

A headache soon develops, sending my mind into a sea of pain. I try to stand, my knees sear in pain, yelling at me to rest. I rise and make for the door again, I open it, looking to both sides before I depart, sweat and nervousness form in my brow, I turn to my right and head down the dank hall. A voice then calls out to me, I wheel on my heels and stare into his blue eyes. "Hello Colt, my twin…"

My head burns, "What the hell are you talking about? I don't have a twin. I have no family any more…. None…" The FOmar stares at me, his eyes in a mask of concern and anger, "Colt, we have no time to argue this point." "Yes, we do! Now, tell me how your claim can be real!" The FOmar stares at me, his weapon drawn and aiming towards my head, he lets loose a bolt of blue photon energy, I duck to the right, I stand again, just as I reach for my weapons I hear a thud, a gurgled moan pierces the air, I turn about and notice besides my feet, two hands just out of reach. His eyes glazed over as the hole in his neck slowly leaks, the bolt lances into a wall, lodges there and then slowly fades.

"…. As I said, we have no time to discuss, this point, Colt, we must go… It comes for us, both…" "… I will not leave with you unless my question is answered…" The FOmar sighs and holsters his rifle, "Very well… Colt we are twins, not in the sense you are thinking but merely, ones who were born the same way, with the same taint within in us…" "What do you mean the same way, I was the only one to live, I was the only prototype to live…" "Don't be foolish Colt, you are more then a mere vessel, or a mere prototype for that matter. Why do you think Sojorian is so intent to bring us in under his knuckles, dead or alive? How can you be the only one who lived, there must have been others before you logically, they could not have happened upon you by chance if you were made… Also, why would they design you, for the singular purpose of being a mere vessel, even when they trained you to be a fighter, and then you choice to become a Hunter…"

I fall silent brooding on this… It makes so much sense, but my head, it is drowning in the pain of my headache, I can't think clearly, for once I do need time to think on something… I drop my two weapons to the ground, their tax eliminated from my body for the time… I feel the pressure on my temples relax but not retreat fully. "What do you mean by the "taint", that we have within us, that we share… I see nothing that can connect us." The FOmar runs his hands through his cyan hair, a color that cannot be natural. "… Look upon the window to the outside… What do you see in it."? I stare at the window, it shows the outside world, the ocean… Fish, a multitude of color and shapes swim by, as if time never passes for them, nothing that can concern them happens…

"I see nothing besides the fish…" The FOmar's reflection shows in the window now, his small mouth curling into a slight grin, as if I am missing something obvious. "Heh, what do you see in the reflection Colt…" I stare again at the glass, looking, "I see… myself, and you…" "Is there anything of obvious characteristics that are shown with us?" "Well yes, your hair is a cyan color, which can't be natural. My own eyes are…. Cyan…" "Oh, have you found something Colt…?" His grin forms into a small smile as I come to realize but what he means of the "taint" that we share… "Your hair… It's a natural color as such… Right?" "Heh, why yes it is Colt, yes it is, much like your eyes are a natural Cyan…"

"… What does it mean…"? "What, the Cyan color? It simply shows that we have been tainted by "it" That "it" has touched us in some way, your display of the taint is most likely the way it is because you were touched indirectly by the "taint". So it shows in your eyes, the gateway to the soul… Or more recently, in your case, your souls… Mine… is of a direct touch with the "taint" with "it"…As for the reason it manifested in my hair, and why I am not a creature of madness, I can not say, only that I was touched by it, the same way you were, we were created for this one purpose, to be tainted… To be the next generation of monstrosities, to be the next spawns of the Pioneer Projects…

To be the next generation, of Olgas…We are their, human creations." "Wait… Human creations, you mean… No, it can't be they wouldn't…" "They did and they continue to do so." No, this can't be, what would posse them in their sane minds to try this again! It failed with the initial coming of the Pioneer project, not once but twice! Twice they failed in creating these things, us! "It" cannot be controlled! It wont allow it self to be controlled! What were they thinking…? "Hahaha, what were we thinking? Isn't that obvious by now? I want power, I want to rule you all, crush you with a mere wave of my thumb. You are all meant to be ruled, and you two, you two are the keys to this…"

"Sojorian! Where are you! How many have you truly killed for you sick plan! How many were touched by "IT"!" "Oh, more then enough to satisfy the results we craved." His voice swoons in my ears, a sick, hallow, singsong voice. "HolyChaos, I did not truly expect you to actually be able to awaken, you were directly touched by "it" … Hmm, there is more to you then meets the eye, I suppose… If you count miracles as part of your creation." "Heh, well, well, this must be my creator I am hearing, it's been awhile since you last visited me down in that chamber was it not?" "Heh, so you were awake then, watching, gathering I suppose… I wonder just how much you know…" "More then you could ever hope to learn in your shadow of a life Sojorian…"

"Yes, I am quite sure the "taint", can have many benefits if some survives it I suppose…" His voice fades from my ears, I pivot my head around, trying to find the source, my body's energy is back again, after having the weapons away from it for so long, I begin to feel a small surge of normalcy in my muscles and mind. Sojorian's voice arises again from its murky grave, laughter grips it, "Haha, it seems he has found you both, I shall you two now to deal with him, have fun, I have more important guest to entertain here, such as Olga Flow, my, my, its been years since anyone has gone down to the disposal facility hasn't it?... I wonder if he is still alive. Heh, either way, both his soul and power is mine."

A cackling laugh leaves my bones shivering within my body, a faint sound is heard down the hall, HolyChaos turns to it, unafraid yet drawing his weapon, aiming, waiting, deadly… "Colt, I suggest you pick up your weapons… We are about to face of the other experiments they made here… This one shall show no mercy to us either…" The sound becomes louder, as it moves closer, the sound is similar to something I have heard before, it's almost a faint memory now. Suddenly it clicks, "Delbiter… They, they used Delbiters?" "Yes they have, this is the only one to survive to adult hood though, the others… Died soon after birth, and the DNA alterations and augmentations…"

"It sounds bigger then it should be." "It is… Be ready, it is not just one creature now, but two…" "What do you mean… Two?" "… Hurry, get ready before it rounds the corner, it will either charge us first or fire its arms at us." "Arms? When did it get arms?" "When they combined it with an Indi Berla…" My skin goes cold, the life drains from my face, my heart slows… An Indi Berla… No they wouldn't have… The sound picks up, a roar echoes, I turn down the hall and see a green cyan eye starring at us. I hear the familiar charge, an Indi Berla arm is getting ready to be fired. The Berla Biter, release the arm, it screeches towards us, HolyChaos dodges to the right, rolls on to his knees, he picks up his Holy Ray and fires, aiming for the creatures eye. I am further down the dank hall. I lunge forward, hitting the ground face first, the arm flies over my head, I feel the wind of it as it passes by, and slams into the far wall, tearing a hole within the ten inch thick steel alloy.

I grab my weapons off the floor; their siphoning of my strength begins, fresh and new, ravenous for my energy. I strap Tears Partisan to my back, I draw for Lavis, searching for that power, I find it, locked away. I reach for it, smash the lock that binds it, my own mind. The power surges through the blade, I scream releasing the energy into the ground as a wave attack.

HolyChaos' blue bolt reaches the beast, it bounces off its hide effortlessly. My wave attack streaks towards the beast, the Biter roars and slams its feet down into the steel grating, a shockwave of energy is produced from it. The two waves clash, sound rocks the hall, my ears filling with a deafly ring. I cringe for a moment, waiting for the ringing to end, it does. I open my eyes again, my world slightly spinning, I shake my head, then, from the corner of my eyes, I see the Biter, preparing a charge. It comes for me, streaking past HolyChaos as if he wasn't there, the FOmar lets loose a Rabarta attack, hoping to make the hall slick enough for the best to skid, lose control and spin into a wall.

The beast out speeds the ice, instead of losing control, it gains traction as it comes for me, I roll to the right, narrowly avoiding the Biter, it turns on a dime and begins to prepare another charge at me. I get upon my feet, the Lavis still clutched in my hands. I run towards the beast as it prepares to charge, it roars and then motors towards me in a blur of black and cyan, I jump over it, as I go I aim my Lavis blade for the beast's eye. I stab at it, yet the blade repels from the eye, like they were two magnets of the same polarity, the shock and sudden jolt, sends me into a wall. I slam into the steel alloy hard, the wind knocked from my lungs, I slump to the ground, I can't breathe, I struggle, my eyes going wide with terror. Am I dying? What has happened? Why do I feel a burning in my lungs?

I open my mouth again, trying to draw air in, it rushes into my oxygen-starved body with a burning pain. A pain that says I am still alive. My eyes water, I rise to my feet slowly, my breathing labored but there all the same. The beast turns to me now, howling in anger and rage as I refuse to die. Its singular eye stares towards me, embers of rage burn with in it now. I pick up the Lavis from its position on the ground, I feel the familiar pull of it on my physical energy. The burden, calling out to me, I grasp it harnessing its power. I let loose another wave of my own energy from the blade, its waves shooting forth towards the Berla Biter. The beast counters with another downward spike of its feet releasing another energy wave, the two clashes again, and break each other. I release another round before the beast has time to regroup. Exhaustion over takes me though, I crumple to my knees.

My hands upon the handle of the Lavis, using it as a support, I tilt my head towards the beast; it begins to rear again trying to counter my wave attack once more. It is all in vain though. I watch as the waves lance through the creature. It howls in pain, a scream purely of demonic essence, the Biter staggers backwards, then stops looks at me, its eye begins to change, the color warps, becoming a sickening blood red. It steadies it self, its feet locking down on to the steel grating, I hear a hum, the air crackles around me as the beast draws energy.

The air pops and hisses with a sickening urgency. The sound increasing, multiplying, its eye becomes blood, color swirls with in it now, blood and cyan mixing, intertwining into one. A whine pierces the small hall, a small twinge of energy emits from the creature's eye. Suddenly the tiny beam widens its path clear, and set on me, the beast fires. Two quick successive rounds of dark energy swarm towards me. Their cyan color, its shine bathes the hall; I can't move in time, I am drained of my strength from the successive use of the Lavis blade. I can do only one thing, the only thing I can take a chance and have it succeed. I bear my arm forth that holds the Purple Ring. The blast slams into my raised shield, bright light engulfs my vision, I am blinded. I feel the heat of the energy split off in two around me as the blast splits from my ring.

HolyChaos stares in wonder, "He doesn't need other rings around him to activate the effect? How is that possible… Unless… Yes, that has to be it… That is the only thing possible… Anna…" HolyChaos see his chance, the beast is drained of its strength for the moment. His hands glow with a white light. He rises and looks towards the beast, the glow intensifies, HolyChaos charges the beast, aiming for his side he fires a Grants attack towards the beast. The knife of light streaks towards its target, it juts into the Berla Biter's stomach, striking clean to the other side. The Biter roars in pain and anger, then collapses upon the ground, its breathing slows, and then drops.

My head spins my vision whites out, an ear-piercing cry is heard, a solid thud resounds through the hallway, then, all goes quiet. I can only hear my breath as it is drawn in slow shallow gasps.

My vision begins to darken again and re-adjust to the light in the room. Soon another's breathing enters my ears, it is in short gasps. I turn towards the source of it. I see HolyChaos on his knees, his breathing labored, sweat, pouring from his brow, his purple bandana, now loosely hangs from his head, his cyan bangs matted to his forehead. The beast is to the right of him, dead, or at least dying… I am unsure, a gaping hole is upon its side, dark black and purple blood ooze from the hole, like tar seeping into the cracks of a chipped surface below.

I rise, bearing my Lavis with my hands. I slowly walk towards him, I crumple to my knees, and stare at the drained FOmar. "Is… Is it dead?" HolyChaos looks at me, unknown fear, uncertainty, and anxiety swirl in his eyes, his face, shows the complexion of a man who just doesn't know. "We will know soon huff enough, Colt… Soon enough we will know if it-." A wail sunders through his words, the beast rears upon its hind quarters, malice, anger, defiance, rage, all show within its singular eye, its singular looking glass.

Its feet land as the howl ends, a growl, from the depths of shadows awakens within its stomach. It slowly turns towards us, the growl growing harder, stronger, with each tilt of its head, more malice enters its throat. It wails again, anger and rage, the only things echoing from its body. I look towards the wound, just as I feared, the wound slowly closes, its body, infected by the taint of "it" begins to move into gear. Much like Achrion, the muscles are whole once again, bigger, faster, and stronger then before.

Fully tainted by "it" That is, the only way this monstrosity, could breathe, and live… The others of its brood must have died, either because they were not strong enough for the "taint", to accept them… Or they just gave in, and let "it" consume them… The Biter moves closer to us, its feet echoing within the hall, yet, the growl, over shadows the thud of its feet. It stops, motioning into its charge, its body, readying, for the final attack. I rise, sheathing my Lavis; I draw forth the Tears Partisan now. I will the tax on my mental strength to begin, knowing the more I put into it, the more damage I can cause. The pull becomes intoxicating, drawing every ounce of my mental strength into the blade, it hums now, I stare at the beast as I ready for this strike.

The Berla Biter roars, the bluff has been called, it's done, it charges forth. Like nothing I have ever known before, it comes for us. The Biter's charge is faster then before, I can't keep up with it, the world slows suddenly, I see the Berla Biter in its triumphant stance, readying to kill us in this final swoop of vengeance and hate. I take my Partisan up, pushing all I have into the blade, I call forth its taxation, I encourage the pull of my mental strength. The beast comes within range, I swing the brand, and it strikes the eye. The beast howls in pain, unable to stop, the beast rips through the brand. Gore and blood spill forth as the two halves separate from one another. Purple and black blood, loose forth from the gash, I wheel about missing the blood, I pull HolyChaos out of the way as I spin about, missing the blood and charging carnage, the blood however, lands upon HolyChaos, staining his robes in a dark purple and black. The remains slam into a wall behind us, crashing half way through to the other room.

The sound echoing as its death cry fades into the silence that now entombs us. I turn towards the FOmar; his robes soaked in the blood of the beast. He turns towards me, looks at his robes and sighs, "It seems that "it" has a rather poor sense of humor…

I turn towards the carnage that is the beast. The top is the only thing visible from the derby, split in half from the eye. Blood, purple and black, slowly seeps from rubble, in a sickening slow river, it bends away from the derby as it seeps into the metal grating, disappearing into the darkness below. "… We have to move on, we must stop Sojorian before he absorbs Olga into him as well." HolyChaos says to me, his voice showing no emotion, only that Sojorian must be killed. My weakened mind does a double take, "Huff Wa-Wait, you, you mean to tell me that, Sojorian, can absorb Olga! That's not possible, Olga was directly tainted by "it"! Flowen was cursed by "it", its not possible, Sojorian could not control that! Sojorian cannot absorb something directly touched by "it"! Its just not possible, if he does he will become just like Olga, a monster without purpose, a thing of darkness…"

"Colt, do you honestly think we have not been directly touched by "it" ourselves? The proof is in us, displayed on us, to show all we are a part of "it", to show we may have escaped "its" sickening desires to absorb and control us, but… We, did not escape "its" touch, "its" "taint", that… We can never escape from "it", "it" is a part of us now… Besides, how do you think you survived the direct "taint" of "it" I did because "it" did not directly touch me, it was brought to me, a sickening injection of D-Cells into my body, time after count less time, I was infused with that veil "taint". My hair changed to show, that "it" was a part of me from then on, only growing in intensity as my powers grew with each new injection of the D-Cells. You, however… You were directly touched by "it", I remember hearing one day, how Sojorian brought you down to be touched by "it", how he brought you down to its tomb, the ruins beneath us…"

"You emerged from the crypt, shaken, scared, no physical change was seen upon you, except for your eyes, from that day on, your eyes were a bright cyan color. Sojorian explained this once to Serena, I just lucky enough to be conscious enough to hear that. Colt, the reason you were not taken by "it" was because, "it" could not take you, you had… another, within you… That other soul, was taken by it… That is why you survived the direct touch of "it" your core was not tainted by "it", while your body and the other soul were… That is how Sojorian will absorb Olga, how Sojorian will control the power of Falz, by the use of that soul instead of his own. He can contain that soul, the other two beings will try to touch him directly with their power, only to have a backlash set upon on them, where in they would have normally been the ones pull the strings, Sojorian will be the one that takes them now…"

"No… No, no I don't believe it, I have heard the reports, seen the pictures, been to the ruins before, I have even fought Olga before… No one can survive what you say, none, can kill them… They are ever living, souls, born anew and whole after each death, tainted phoenixes… He can not kill them"

"Colt… He will not kill them, he will merely add their souls into his own, their power to his own. He will grow, his power will become that we cannot fathom, unless we stop him now… Unless we kill him before he reaches them, for if he does… All is lost…" HolyChaos falls into silence, keeping one secret from Colt, that although what he says is true, that if Sojorian does take both, none will be able to stop him… None but Colt…

… A death cry pierces the calming air, hanging there, thick, covering us in its mass. I choke, "That-That was Olga's first form dying… His soul, will be released soon to be reincarnated, for the next victim to head down there…" "No, Colt… Not this time… This time… He is truly gone he is a part of him now… Do not delude yourself in thinking that is not so." His words, they show no sign of play, no sign of emotion at all. He is cold in his words, no emotion slips through his teeth, or from his eyes, when speaking, he is death…

A groan of steel, a quake of the floor, dust tumbles from the ceiling for a brief moment. "… It's falling apart around us, we are near the surface we should go…" HolyChaos comes to his feet, and slowly begins to walk down the dim hall, lights flicker in and out of working order, giving the appearance that he is moving from light to light flicker. Giving the image that he is moving through shadows, that he is a geist.

My gaze falls upon the carcass of the fallen Berla Biter. "… I hope no more are ever made of your kind again…" I turn on my heels carrying both the Lavis and Tears Partisan, I feel the pull, and yet I do not anymore, as if, it is merely a part of who I am now. The strain is something that is my own now… I control it, not the tax controlling me… The need for it to feed, demanding my strength is still there, that is unwavering, yet, now, I control when I release them into the weapons, not the weapons constantly taking.

I do not fully understand the reasoning why I was unable to do this before, I merely accept it, trying not to draw my mind away from my other thoughts, I must contend with now. If, what HolyChaos says is true… None will be able to stop him; he will be the source of the "taint" now… He will gain all their powers, all their memories… All their brutality… Another quake and groan of steel shudders the facility, we are running out of time, the building is going to collapse soon. HolyChaos picks up the pace, his feet glide across the steel mesh below him as if he were on ice. I run to keep up, a rumble shakes the facility again, its coming from down below, sirens go off and on, their power being cut and then turned on again. The noise rises; panic strikes the building, guards, aides, techs, and scientists, all fall out of doors and pour into the halls, running frantically to find out what is wrong.

"You two! Halt!" I turn on my heels, a small group of guards, no more then four stand behind us with weapons drawn, the group contains two RAmars, one RAcast and RAmarl. One bears a Rifle, a simple Visk model by the color, another bears a Custom Ray handgun, the RAmarl bears a model of mechs, by the looks, it's a hair dryer of sorts. The last of the group bears a Guilty Light, a photon launcher, compared to its RAcast owner though, it seems only to be a mere toy. "Dirigo, scan these fools and tell us our odds." The RAmar holding the Visk shouts to the RAcast. "Calculating... Scanning, HUmar, calculated battle level at…. Error. Error, unknown anomaly detected, unable to determine battle level, D-Cells present in him, Error, extreme caution is deemed necessary. FOmar, Scanning… Calculated Battle level at…. Error, unable to determine FOmar battle Level. Error, Error. D-Cells present in FOmar, unknown origin."

"What, What the hell do you mean you can't scan him! D-Cells! Damnit, I knew I should have opted for the system check on you when you told me Achrion, Damocles and Sojorian were also infected, you worthless tin can. Oh well it doesn't matter, as long as we put holes in them they wont be able to fight back. Well boys, and girls. Let's Rock!" They open fire, hot shells of photon energy sizzle in the air, causing it to pop, and explode with heat, I round on my heels and dive for an open door way, HolyChaos does the same, I hide within the door frame, seeing him directly across the hall from me. HolyChaos draws forth his Holy Ray from its holster. Photons impact the walls and doors thrown open before us. Cracking and sparking in the air as they are fired.

"Great… Talk about bringing a knife to a gun fight." I look down at my arsenal; all I have is close range weapons. One does have the capabilities to hit targets from afar, but I don't know how much I would need to give up in order for it to be enough… We need to escape from here…

A whine screeches over the alarms, the photon launcher is being charged to fire a shell. I hear it fired from the gun; I roll to my right going father into the room. I sit up and turn towards the door, it is blown off its hinges and flies back ten feet into the solid steel wall behind. I cover my eyes as dust explodes forth from the shell impacting the ground where I was. Coughing, I open my eyes and peer across the hall, HolyChaos is well, all though dust covered but all right, the familiar whine of the photon launcher sounds again, but this time it is different, it is cooling down, reloading itself for another shell of photon energy to be fired.

HolyChaos stands behind the door, points his gun up towards the ceiling in a silent gesture, gently, placing the muzzle upon his fore head for a brief moment. Looks towards the ceiling for a brief second, gathering himself. Then he charges out from cover, he fires three shots, two miss, the third strikes home. The blue bolt of photons strikes the RAmar with the Custom Ray right through the heart. It pierces his body and lances into the far wall behind him. "Sir… I am sorry… I-I-…" The guard slumps to his knees, falling face first he hits the ground, a small thud resounds from his body. Blood trickles from the wound, dribbling froth from his mouth, a small pool begins to collect underneath him and stain his Ranger's garb.

HolyChaos dives for cover within the room, just as he lands on his stomach within the hallowed walls of the room, photon shells rip asunder the air he was just in. Crackling, hissing and spitting, each one lances through the thick air, cutting through it to strike nothing but cold steel on the far side of the hall.

"You're crazy, you know that." I tell the FOmar as he rises to his feet, brushing his robes off of the dust that has settled on to the floor. "No, not really, this is the first time some one has said it to me…." His voice is cold, showing no emotion for the joke I just made. "I see…" "Colt, don't worry I got the joke, I am not completely devoid of a heart, just of most emotions." I grin, his eyes show with a small hint of laughter in them, yet his voice remains flat as he speaks again, "Come on, you have to find a ranged weapon, and I don't count that blade of yours as such, We don't need you killing yourself by using its power…" I laugh as I look around the room trying to find something worthwhile. A noise catches my attention, "Hey do you hear that… It almost sounds like a…"

Deep below the facility, Sojorian walks to the elevator. A Del Biter stands in his way, it roars, preparing to charge at its victim, disemboweling him in the process. Sojorian looks at the beast, waves his hand forward to taunt it, laughing all the while, "Come you ignorant beast, come and meet the hand of the grim reaper." The beast charges, its head put forth, the top of its skull is like a spear, Sojorian laughs, his body moves with a fluid motion. The beast lances straight towards him, Sojorian throws his hand out, the beast slams into an outstretched palm stopping dead in its charge, its neck broken from the impact. It falls to the ground howling in pain.

Sojorian retracts his hand, not a single scratch upon it; he looks down at the broken monster, "I warned you… Yet you failed to listen… Oh well, its time to die." His palm opens, a dark purple glow surrounds it, his fingertips crackle with an un-fore seen force, "I shall take the taint that has been wrought upon you, I shall show no mercy to all who oppose me… Not even worthless dogs." The black energy fades from his hand, drifting to the broken Biter, it constricts around its neck. Drawing from it something, something that isn't of it self… The beast's head contorts, its voice tries to let out a gasp of pain, the constricting mass crushes its larynx. Nothing escapes its mouth. The beast dies, the black mass returns to Sojoiran's hand, bearing with it the fruits of its labor.

"A small amount… Either way, it is mine now." Sojorian steps over the body, its mass creating small ripples in the water. The hall begins to light slowly, becoming clearer as he makes his way towards the end. Soon he comes to the teleporter that leads to the test subject disposal facility. He steps into the teleporter, his eyes close in solemn thought for a brief moment, his arms cross his chest as well, he appears the clam before the storm. "The time is at hand… I come for you Olga Flow, be ready to die."

With that he winks out of sight, his body re-appears on a platform, his eyes remain closed, his arms across his chest still, a voice invades his thoughts, taunting him, testing him, it is Olga Flow. His words are jumbled; unknown sounds originate from him, the taint causing his body to have mutated into such a way that lies before Sojorian now. Sojorian's arms uncurl from his chest, his black and blood red robes billowing slightly as the elevator begins its decent.

His eyes open, a fire glows within them, turning them a dark blood red; an ice blue enters them as well. "You wish to fight me Olga? You wish to know the taste of death. You shall feel it at the end of my palm, before this battle is through you will know what it means to taste death… I claim your power now, with it, none shall oppose me, not even Dark Falz it self… Prepare Olga, for now, the time is at hand, your death whispers on the wind, it is time to die." Olga descends into his view, with a roar he issues his challenge, Sojorian stands his ground, his arms hang by his sides loosely, his eyes stare into the mutation's, "If you wish to taste my blood, come and claim it!"

"Sir! Some one has just entered the Test Subject disposal area!" "What, what in hell are you talking about!" The Principal whirls on his aide, he has had enough headaches this day, five hunters missing and the guild is demanding compensation for them, two of which were class SS hunters, this was turning into a very bad day, his aide was only adding to the increasing explosive pain under his temples. "An unknown FOmar entered the Test Subject disposal area, alone sir." "… What color were his robes?" "We did not get a good image on security protocol sir but we believe them to be black and blood red."

The Principal's blood runs cold. His eyes glaze over, sweat breaks forth from his bow, he falls to his knees. "Get-get, get me a camera droid down there… Now… I mean it!" "Sir-Sir, Yes sir!" He returns to his feet, shakily makes his way to his desk and sits down. "It, it has come… What ever was I thinking allowing that man to continue the Pioneer 1 project's research…? What have I unleashed upon the world?" His hands shake as he waits for the visual to appear before him, "… For what I have done… I am sorry…. I am sorry, I have failed you all." "Sir, we are patched through." "Display it now." A halo screen winks on, he sees Sojorian and Olga face off, Olga has morphed to its second battle phase already… "… I fear I am witnessing the birth of a god… One that shall wrought nothing but ruin and chaos upon us… And I… I was the one to give it life…"

The principle watches as Sojorian delivers the final blow to Olga, his hand slams into Olga's chest, he rips it out, drawing with it Olga's soul and taint. The mass lances into Sojorian, the principal hopes against hope, that with it Sojorian will be consumed by the darkness, his mind will break, shatter like fragile glass. The Principal dares to believe it true, Sojorian's body falls to its knee's for a brief moment it seems that it will claim him, yet slowly, he rises and lets out a scream, even though the display has no sound, the Principal still hears and feels the scream shake his very bones, cold sweat falls down his nose now. "… The end has begun…"

An ear-piercing cry billows through the mines. Cranberry, Sage, Mewone and Samus stop their trek. "What was that?" Cranberry asks astonishment fills her small voice. "Unknown voice source… Origin is unknown… Scanning… No traces of it can be found within a hundred mile radius", Samus says in his monotone voice, his scanners still whirring at top speed trying to identify the source of the noise.

Sage stops, his mind screaming with pain of another, he falls to his knees, the pain over sweeping him. His eyes close for a brief moment in pain, images flash before them. His eyes snap open, cold sweat envelops him, "Sage, what is it?" Every one turns to him, his eyes dart back and forth, as if his life was hanging in the balance. "Something has been born… Something which the likes we have never encountered before has arisen…" The others stare confused, baffled by what he could mean.

"What ever it is… It craves death and nothing more… Come, we must hurry and reach Colt before its too late." "But-But Sage, we are to far away, even when we make it to the teleporter, we still have to get access to Gal Da Val, you know its off limits. Also, the teleporter in the mines isn't strong enough to get us to our destination." "Cran, I am not saying we have a choice in this, we must reach him in time. Or he will die." "… I know some one who can help us, he should be on Gal Da Val as we speak, last I knew, he took a quest for the guild to investigate recent increases in creatures infested by altered DNA there." "Good, send him the message, tell him to look out for a HUmar with spiky brown hair and cyan eyes, also tell him… To try and not break him in half should he have to drag him to us."

"A scream…" "That was no scream Colt… It walks now…" "What does...?" "The birth of our end." My insides shake, I am cold now, I feel my throat tighten… "Are you sure…? Maybe you're wrong." "I fear in this Colt, I am not." His voice falls, no attempt to convince my otherwise is seen in his face. I fall silent, the only noise being that of the occasional shot fired off by HolyChaos from his Holy Ray to keep the guards busy. My insides twist, "We have to kill it before it gets to Falz…" "Even now Colt… I fear we may already be too late." "No one ever got anywhere by not trying." I rise, a fire burns in my eyes. I walk towards the door way, "Stand aside, I will handle them. "Colt…" I ignore his cautioned tone, I push him gently out of the way, the fire of their weapons stops as I present myself in front of three guards left. "Well, well, one of the rats came out to play no did he, Sona, show them how we treat those that kill one of our own." "With pleasure sir." The RAmarl aims her mechs at me, I stand, the Lavis within my right hand, I close my eyes momentarily, whispering softly too myself, "If what I am is true, if I am a weapon, let my hands guide this blade well." I open my eyes, the world is so slow now, lost, and I see each bullet tug through the air struggling to reach me in time. I close my eyes again. So it is true… I am a weapon of the "taint."

HolyChaos watches as Colt steps out into the open, knowing full well what Colt seeks out there. "I am sad to say, you will find it Colt, and you will have to come to terms with it… You and I are weapons… Twins, of Chaos…" He steps out from the door to watch the seen unfold, like Colt, the photon hail appears as slow glimmers in the air. He sees Colt step aside of the bullets moving to his target, slowly gliding between the bullets as he makes his way towards them, knowing full well now that he is a weapon, designed originally to kill, secondly to hold a great evil… He reaches the RAmarl first; her eyes go white, unable to even utter a scream before the blade is through her stomach, she lulls on to his shoulder, her body limp as he slowly lays it down upon the ground.

"What? What the! Jeana? How in hell… You will pay for that! Die!" The last RAmar charges towards Colt, a Galduis drawn and ready to strike, Colt merely turns to the advancing mad man, Colt's eyes show remorse as he slices through the RAmar's Galduis, straight through to his neck, Colt turns as two distinct thuds are heard behind him, he begins to walk away. "Target sighted, termination imamate…." The RAcast begins to charge his Guilty Light, HolyChaos quickly takes aim with his Holy Ray, he fires a single bolt of blue towards the intended target. The bullet bypassing Colt's head by inches, true to its aim, strikes through the RAcast's visor. The bolt travels through ripping out wires and other hardware as it lances through the metal impacting upon the far wall behind the RAcast. The RAcast's body functions only a minute more before it shuts down, falling to the floor with an earth shaking bang.

I look upon the carnage as I continue on, "We should go now…" HolyChaos nods his head solemnly as we walk down the hall. "Colt!" I spin on my heels; a dark tentacle greets my face, slamming me up against the wall to my right as it grasps at my throat. The Lavis tumbles to the floor below me. HolyChaos whirls, his Holy Ray aimed towards the target, another tentacle of the same matter lashes out at him, flinging him into the far wall, knocking the wind out of him.

My eyes squint shut as I fight to draw breath into my lungs, I hear foot steps dance down the hall, they stop, I hear the breathing of another below me. I open my eyes, there is Mint, the hole, where I plunged the Lavis through her, still there. "So you thought I would die so easily, heh I pity you fool." I look towards her, the hole in her chest pulsates with a cyan color oration around it. "So, it uses the dead as well, to breathe new life into them… Such a worthless thing." She glares at me, "Do not, call the great one worthless, for you will bond with him soon enough. I am to take you to him, your body shall become his new vessel." I look down at her and laugh, throwing my head back as I see so many flaws in her thoughts. "What is so funny HUmar?" Her voice not her own now, simply her masters, "What is so funny you ask? Your lust for power is funny, your thoughts that you can win are funny. Heh, your own existence is funny, you worthless puppet."

Mint screams in pure rage, the tentacle entwines around my neck tighter, her rage seeping through her. My eyes water as the pain increases, "We will see who is laughing when I squeeze the very breath from your throat, for he shall have you body, with or without your life still beating in it." "I have no intentions of becoming a worthless puppet to "it" like you have become." My words echo softly in my mind, the Lavis is below my feet now as I dangle in mid air, the tentacle still pulling the life from me as my airflow dies. I reach towards the Tears Partisan strapped to my back, I grasp its handle, I wrench the blade from its resting place and swing it forth, the photon blade activating, It slashes through her neck. The tentacle lets go; I slump to the floor, rubbing my neck where the veil thing had once been. Her body slumps to the floor, hopefully truly dead now. I grab the Lavis, strapping both weapons back to their respective holsters.

I walk towards HolyChaos, he stands now, brushing the dirt and dust from his robes. He returns the Holy Ray to its container and places it in his storage PDA. He begins to walk ahead of me, I follow suit being thankful for the silence besides the screaming alarm in the background. We reach the end of the hall, we turn towards the right and see at the end of it, a teleporter is set, its power not lost yet. I turn towards the left just to be sure, I notice a door slightly ajar. I walk towards it, my Lavis now drawn. I open the door it glides open smoothly. I stare inside, it is an office of some kind, the glossy desk and carpet beneath my feet make it seem as if it shouldn't be a part of the dreary building it is contained within.

I walk towards the desk, upon it is a small Gauntlet PDA. I walk over and pick it up, strapping to where mine once was, it activates. Showing the name of its owner, which turns out is me… I stare at the gauntlet and notice the slight teeth marks upon it where Sato bit down on it. "Heh, I never knew she would come in so handy, especially when not here. Thanks Sato." I strap the gauntlet securely on and check the inventory, all my weapons are still there, along with one or two mates and fluids left.

I return to the hall, re-holstering my Lavis behind my back, HolyChaos is leaned up against a wall waiting for me. He lifts his head up, "Come, we have to go-." A sudden shock quakes the building upon its foundation, steel groans, metal screeches, a laughter echoes from below us, "What?" HolyChaos rises from his position and steadies himself as the building continues to quake.

I look towards my feet as the building rocks. A sudden hole is ripped through the steel, there, floating in the air above us is Sojorian. "Haha, like moths to the flame I see." He slowly descends to the ground, his feet making a small metallic thump as he lands. He walks towards us, his stride, arrogant, cocky, knowing he will win should we battle. "I knew you would be here when I was through, with, that worthless creation of Osto's… What a foolish experiment that was, a true waste of his efforts and he knew it. Still, it has served its purpose now. Hahaha."

Sojorian walks forth, a dark aura encompasses him, cyan lights flicker in his skin, his blood thoroughly tainted now by "it", and yet he is still in control… "Colt, you have a choice now, two paths lay before you, one runs the road of power. The other runs the road of your death and ruin. Which do you choose? Remember, the lives upon Pioneer2 hang in the balance, you can either join me, and together we can rule. Or you can stand against me, and all shall suffer in the surf of darkness that follows you." I pause for a brief moment, unsure of how to answer. I think of all my friends, Cranberry, Sage, Mewone… Katt, Antherone, Eriror, Alexis…. I cannot simply throw their lives away for this…

"Colt, you know what you must choose… Either choice, either decision, it only holds death in its tide, you must choose which will better save the people and their future…" I look towards HolyChaos, his demeanor, it shows that he has made the choice, that he is not going to be controlled by either side, that he will fight to his last breath to keep it so… I look in myself; it is only I now, I and my taint, my curse…. It wishes to be with its master, I can feel it yearn to join either of them… It sickens me; I wish to be rid of this evil within me…

Sadly, I know I cannot be rid of it though, it is a part of me, as I am a part of it now. I feel it stir again, suddenly I realize something that my mother was trying to teach me long ago. The memory comes back to me now, I can finally see what she meant by it "Don't ever lose who you are Colt". I smile and thank her quietly, my taint becomes somber with the memory of our mother. I slowly open my eyes and stare towards Sojorian, he looks into my eyes and scoffs, his face contorts into a look of loathing, he knows my choice, and he wishes to kill me for it.

"Ha, that is no question. I choose the path of my death and ruin, I will not be controlled by you or by that worthless puppeteer, I choose my own path, the one that stops you. I will save Pioneer 2 from your ideals, you will not have these people to rule as your own. You will not succeed Sojorian, you will fail, just as Osto did. You can not control it, no matter what you believe, you will die before you succeed in that goal, you will not bring Pioneer to ruin either with this ideal you have. I will make sure of that… For all my friends…"

The fire in my soul burns, my eyes show it, HolyChaos comes to stand by my side. Sojorian looks towards the both of us. "You both sicken me, I thought you two of all the creations I made would understand… You are both flawed, you will be purged from this earth before you cause any harm to my goals, Falz is not a threat, he is merely the final tool in my plans. Even if he does know of what I am trying to do, I shall still succeed where Osto failed."

"Very well Colt, you shall both die then!" Sojorian lifts an arm, energy collects at his fingertips, it softly hisses for release. "Divine Punishment!" I turn and run for the teleporter, HolyChaos upon my heels, I hear the crackle of the attack being released into the air, we reach the teleporter, a destination is already set, not thinking, I slam my hand upon the console, I feel the familiar weightless sensation and then, my sight goes dark.

Sojorian lets his arm wilt to his side. The room once containing the two is now merely a hole of burnt cinders… "They got away it seems. It matters not, heh, they are already too ensnared in my web to escape." He touches the PDA upon his arm, an image comes up of a blue haired RAmar, his hair, a steely blue it's slicked back to points, much like the FOmars. "Damocles, are you in position?" "Yes Sojorian, all is going well." "Good, when you find them, kill them both. They have chosen to die rather then join us." "How would you like them killed? I can simply put a bullet through their skulls, but… That won't be much fun, heh." "Ha, quite agreed… Use your best judgment in this Damocles. I have, other matters to attend to." "As you wish Sojorian."

Cranberry is the first to step upon the teleporter pad, anxious to be off she bobs back and forth on the balls of her heels "Come on you guys! Let's go already!" The other three continue to walk towards the teleporter pad, their smaller counter part's hair bobs as she moves back and forth, anxious to be off it seems. A noise is heard, the others take it for a mere groan of steel that the mine is constructed of and pay it no mind, Samus turns from the teleporter and walks back a few feet, his distinct foot steps heard by all.

"What is it?" Sage asks, slight frustration shown in his voice that they are not off yet, and that his headache is still present. "Unknown sound source. Determining origin now." Samus states as his scanners begin their work, taking in all viable data from the mines.

"Heh, clever RAcast, very clever… For an old model, I must say… Very clever… Too bad it's over for you now, ha-ha, you and your little entourage." Achrion throws a small orb down from his position in the shadows, with that he vanishes; nothing is left of his presence but the small orb that tumbles to the ground below.

The small tink of the orb catches the RAcast's attention, the orb rolls towards an iron support beam, it touches the beam and rolls a few inches away, and there it stops. Seeming unimportant, Samus returns to re-check his scans once more before departing. An explosion rocks the ground he stands on, Samus whirls; his metal feet clanging against the steel floor as he turns, dust and rock start to fall from the ceiling. Turning to the metal support, he sees it begin to crumble, it topples over, Samus throws his hands up and locks his arm servos in place as the beam crashes into his palms.

His gears groan, his arms try to buckle on him. He grunts and forces his arm servos to lock up again. As the dust settles, he sees before him Sage, Mewone, and Cranberry, within the doorframe to the room of the teleporter, covering their mouths and eyes with hands or sleeves. "Go, now before the mine collapses. My arms can only hold this weight for so long." Samus states, his voice monotone, as if he could choose to make it sound no other way. Cranberry looks at him and then towards Sage and Mewone. Both the other Forces look towards one another, and nod solemnly, it must be this way. "Come on Samus you can make it! Just let go and run, you cam do it!" Cranberry says, encouragement shows in her small eyes. "Negative small one. I can not, my arm servos are locked in place, the moment I move them or the load becomes too much to bear, I shall be crushed. Go now hurry or I will have to kick you in to moving."

Samus' arm servos groan, his arms begin to buckle, his metal casing begins to shutter and crack under the pressure and weight of the derby. "I said go." Cranberry looks towards Samus once more and then steps back into the teleporter, her feet on the pad, Sage press the button in for the coordinates, then in a flash of light they are off.

Steam hisses from his arms, his metal casing shatters, the weight slowly subdues the proud and strong RAcast, his knees slowly begin to buckle, "It is now up to you all." The weight then crashes down upon Samus, his arms finally having given all they can, and taken all they could receive. Dust rises from the rubble, a single RAcast hand is seen jutting out from the derby, its circuitry still firing off signals as it at last looses power and falls into silence.

The teleportation ends, I step out of the teleporter onto soft sand. I look around me, the sun is out, I hear soft waves in the distance, the smell of the ocean fills my nostrils. Suddenly a buzz is heard, I turn on my heels, HolyChaos emerges from the teleporter then. "Hurry, get down!" He hollers at me, suddenly the teleporter explodes in a flash of dark energy, a piece of the metal sky rockets towards me, I throw my arms in front of me, the metal slams into my Purple Ring, the force sends me back slamming into a tree, I slump down and fall upon my face, the last thing I see before me is the sand and the sea as the sun sets.

Colt and HolyChaos have made it alive from the Seabed facility. Sojorian's powers have increased and continue to multiply with each dark creature tainted by "it" that he claims as his own. The proud RAcast Samus, has fallen in battle, his sacrifice made to save the others and give Colt and HolyChaos a fighting chance. Yet, a new threat emerges in the shadows of an unknown figure of Damocles. Achrion is still stalking the other group, having been the causes of Samus' death. A new player enters the field as well, a new ally unknown to Colt, yet he is already making his way to help him. The question remains, will Damocles allow Colt to live long enough to see this new ally?

Next Chapter:

_**Recollection on the Beach of Warfare **_

Cranberry: Oh, is this a hint to something?

Colt: Meh who knows, it very well could be, you will just have to wait to find out.

Cranberry: But I don't want to!

Colt: … Damnit all, I hate when you make that sad face… I never win.

Cranberry: Hahaha, PWNED!

Colt: …. I give up…

Sage: You always lose to Cran, it can't be helped, she is the fruit after all….

Cranberry: That's right .

Colt: …


End file.
